MINERALS. 525 



talcose schist north of Section XI, upon the western range, because we have been obliged 

 to use second hand statements in part : and what was personally investigated was not 

 thoroughly explored. 



MINERALS IN TALCOSE SCHIST. 



BY E. HITCHCOCK, JR. 



Native Gold. This valuable, and inoxydizing metal crystallizes (rarely) in octahedra and dodecahedrons. 

 Primary form, the cube. In composition it is usually found to contain a large proportion of silver and some 

 copper. The California gold averages eight hundred and seventy-five to eight hundred and eighty-five 

 thousandths in gold, and the Australian gold nine hundred and sixty to nine hundred and sixty-six thou- 

 sandths. It is most usually obtained from alluvial washings, but sometimes it is extracted from rocks by 

 crushing them, and dissolving out the gold by mercury. 



The practical details of the working, value, and amount of gold in Vermont will be described by Mr. 

 Hager, under the section devoted to Economical Geology. 



Specimens have been found in the following towns : Searsburgh, Somerset, Bennington, Shaftsbury, 

 Arlington, Sandgate, Manchester, Dorset, Danby, Mount Tabor, Marlboro, Newfane, Dover, Wardsboro, 

 Jamaica, Townshend, Windham, Athens, Andover, Chester, Grafton, Cavendish, Ludlow, Plymouth, 

 Bridgewater, Barnard, Bethel, Royalton, Stockbridge, Pittsfield, Rochester, Hancock, Braintree, Randolph, 

 Roxbury, Warren, Northfield, Waitsfield, Warren, Fayston, Duxbury, Moretown, Berlin, Middlesex, 

 Montpelier, Worcester, Waterbury, Stowe, Eden, Johnson, Cambridge, Waterville, Belvidere, Lowell, 

 Westfield, Troy. 



It may be seen in the State Cabinet, under Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive. 



Serpentine. It was formerly supposed that this mineral crystallized in right rectangular prisms, but it 

 has subsequently been shown that these were pseudomorphs. As usually found, it is a massive mineral of 

 various shades of green, forming a handsome ornamental rock, and some of the Vermont varieties particu- 

 larly so. In composition it is essentially a hydrous silicate of magnesia and iron. An analysis of a Ver- 

 mont serpentine, made several years ago by Dr. C. T. Jackson, gave the following results : 



Water, 7.70 



Silica, 45.80 



Magnetic Iron, 2.00 



Magnesia, 33.44 



Protoxyd of Iron, .... 7.60 



Oxyd of Chrome, 2.00 



Loss, 1.46 



100.00 



This mineral has been found in Vermont at Troy, Gay, Lowell, Westfield, Baltimore, Cavendish, New- 

 fane, Thetford, Newbury, Middlesex, Moretown, Northfield, Roxbury, Warren, Waterbury, Sterling, 

 Waterville, and in many other places. 



Specimens may be seen under Nos. 315-16-17, in the Mineralogical Collection, and in larger quantities 

 among the rocks. 



Picrosmine. This mineral is regarded by Prof. Shepard as pseudomorphic when found in the crystalline 

 form. Prof. Dana, however, considers it as belonging to the trimetric system. It is a hydrated silicate of 

 magnesia, containing iron and alumina. Generally it is fibrous in structure, but often it is cleaveable and 

 massive. In color it is greenish-white, also dark-green. Luster pearly, inclining to vitreous. The fibroiis 

 variety resembles asbestus. It is found in Vermont at Roxbury, Jay, Lowell, and South Troy. In the 

 Cabinet it is numbered 312-13-14 inclusive. 

 . Magnetic Iron. (Described under Calciferous Mica Schist.) 



Emerald Nickel. Emerald nickel is never found crystallized, but in mammillary crusts, and sometimes 

 botryoidal or stalactitic. It is of emerald-green color, as its name implies, and is a hydrated carbonate of 



