442 



of which was given by Mylius*, which was repeated by Scheuchzerf , 

 it obviously does not bear the proportions, nor the form, of an ear 

 of that kind of grain. 



The bodies, whose appearances most warrant the opinion of their 

 having been the ears of corn, are the Stangengraupen of the Germans. 

 These are flat, oblong, blackish, and sometimes greenish bodies; 

 but becoming white, and acquiring a metallic lustre, on their pro- 

 minent parts, by friction. They have been supposed by many to 

 be mineral substances, to which mere accident has given their pre- 

 sent forms; but that they are really vegetable substances, which 

 have acquired an impregnation with metallic particles, there cannot 

 exist a doubt. These bodies vary very considerably in their form ; 

 but are generally flattened, and are studded with little round pro- 

 minences, bearing very much the appearance of corn, which has 

 been transmuted into silver. They are but very rarely found, and 

 are said to have been only discovered in the copper mines at Frank- 

 enburg, in Hesse. M. Lihman, who has written a tract expressly 

 on these substances, does not consider them as changed vegetable 

 substances ; but as being originally of mineral origin. Having sub- 

 jected them to a chemical analysis, he discovered that they con- 

 tained a small quantity of silver, with a large portion of copper, 

 combined with arsenic, sulphur, and iron. Wolfart has delineated 

 these substances with great exactness, and describes them as Spica 

 frumenti metallares, acknowledging himself not to be able to deter- 

 mine the particular species of grain from which they had origi- 

 nated J. By a reference to PL IX. Fig. 6 and 7> you will perceive 

 a representation of two of these bodies, which I have purposely 

 selected as throwing some additional light on this subject. The 

 specimen represented at Fig. 6. bears the appearance very much of 

 having been some species of grain in ear, or perhaps of some small 



* Saxon. Subter. Memorab. p. 15. f Herb. Diluv. Tab. V. Fig. 4. 



$ Histor. Nat. Hass. Infer, p. 45. Tab. V. Fig, 5 and 6. 



