158 Notice of Minerals from New Holland. 



the trap rock, but unaccompanied by any of the zeohtes.* In 

 describing the same class of rocks, Major Mitchell, the author of 

 a more recent and fuller journal of observations,! has enumerated 

 the following substances, in addition to the quartzose minerals 

 referred to, forming large veins and masses in the trap: "decom- 

 posing feldspar," " granular feldspar," " crystals of glassy feld- 

 spar," and " laminated feldspar." As these substances are not 

 very common in secondary or basaltic trap, I would suggest the 

 possibility of the author's having mistaken their true character, 

 especially as he was obliged to pass rapidly from place to place, 

 and does not appear to have collected specimens of them for sub- 

 sequent examination. To the unpractised eye, efflorescent zeo- 

 Hte might be readily mistaken for decomposed feldspar, and other 

 species of zeolite or carbonate of lime, confounded with the other 

 varieties of feldspar. We must think it possible, therefore, that 

 if Major Mitchell had given the same attention to crystals, which 

 he has bestowed upon plants, many interesting substances, over- 

 looked or mistaken by him, would have been brought to light, 

 and the mineralogical interest of his work greatly enhanced. It 

 would appear, then, that none of the Kouphone-spars have been 

 described by either of the writers whose observations have reach- 

 ed us, and I am not aware that any of a more recent date have 

 appeared. They are, I believe, the first and only collection of 

 minerals which has been brought to this country from New Hol- 

 land, and certainly their uncommon beauty, and the perfection 

 of their crystalline forms demand for them some public record. 



Apophyllite. (Pyramidal Kouphone-spar, M.) — There are pe- 

 culiarities in the secondary modifications of the crystals of this 

 mineral, as well as in the general appearance of the specimens, 

 which evidently indicate their having come from localities quite 

 distinct. In one, Mesotype epointee of Haijy, the primary square 

 prism is in elongated crystals, replaced on all the solid angles by 

 triangular planes, and often so deeply as entirely to obliterate the 



* See appendix to King's narrative, drawn up by Dr. Fitton. Analogous speci- 

 mens are also described in the journal of M. Peron, one of the naturalists to the 

 French expedition to New Holland, at about the same period. 



t In two vols. 8vo. London, 1838. It is surprising that this work has not re- 

 ceived in this country more notice and commendation. It is certainly a most re- 

 markable work, full of stirring incident. The author has penetrated into the 

 interior of New Holland, where he informs us he has found the craters of recent 

 volcanoes, and immense mountains of lava. 



