Mineralogical Journey. 129 



contact, and when the rock is broken, which is very difficultly effected, 

 great numbers of them fall out, leaving impressions upon the sides 

 of the detached masses, as smooth and polished as the crystals tliem- 

 selves. The rock in this instance, as well as in that of the Stau- 

 rotide, is a variety of the common gneiss composing the moun- 

 tain, which here possesses more mica, with less quartz and felspar 

 than usual ; the mica being in fine scales, and much contorted in its 

 arrangement. 



About half a mile beyond the house above alluded to, at a place 

 where the road is carried round a steep declivity of the mountain upon 

 an artificial basis, and where it is so narrow as scarcely to afford room 

 for a carriage, are found the noble crystals of Epidote for which 

 Franconia is remarkable ; and which vie in point of size and finish, 

 with those of Arendal in Norway. The strata, here, are mostly 

 concealed by a covering of soil supporting large trees; yet where 

 the path is narrowest, they become partially visible in the bank upon 

 the left side. It is in a vein of quartz, two or three feet in width, 

 whose situation is vertical, and apparently at right angles to the gen- 

 eral stratification of the mountain, that these crystals occur. The 

 vein comes out quite into the carriage path ; but owing to the ac- 

 cumulation of soil above, it remains in view only for a few feet in 

 extent. No blasting is required, for the quartz is already separated 

 into blocks by numerous fissures, and needs only the aid of heavy 

 iron bars to lift them out of their place. On breaking these to pieces, 

 the Epidote is found every where disseminated through them, sometimes 

 in veins, and sometimes shooting its crytals into cavities ; many of 

 which are otherwise empty or contain only oxide of iron and soil, which 

 has found its way into them through the crevices from above ; others 

 are partially occupied by capillary fibres of Hornblende, Calca- 

 reous spar, and crystals of Quartz and of Felspar ; while others still 

 are filled up by green, earthy Chlorite, through which are occasion- 

 ally dispersed small crystals of Iron-pyrites. The crystals penetra- 

 ting these cavities are beautifully terminated, as well as those which 

 are completely engaged in the quartz ; these last, however, being free 

 from all entanglement with the Hornblende and other matters, are 

 more apt to be perfect at both extremities, than the former. 



Much simplicity is observed in the modifications they affect ; near- 

 ly all of them belonging to the form illustrated by the annexed fig- 

 ure and measurements, — the amphihexaedre of Haiiy. 



Vol. XVIIJ.— No. 1. 17 



