78 A Description of a new Mineral Species. 



Phenomenon in vegetable life. — Near Qiiincy, in Middle Florida, 

 the following fact has been witnessed by myself, in common with ma- 

 ny, others : Two Pine trees (Pinus palustris,) of considerable height 

 growing near each other, the trunk of one of them, near its upper ex- 

 tremity, coming in contact with a limb of the other, they gi'ew toge- 

 ther. Subsequently, the former became severed near the earth, by 

 burning, apparently. The tree, thus severed and suspended, conti- 

 nues to live ! deriving its sustenance entirely from the fluids of the 

 the other tree — a remarkable parasitic ! ' , 



Art. VIII. — A description of a ne.iv Mineral Species, from JVova 

 Scotia; by C. T. Jackson, M. D., with a Chemical Analysis; 

 by Mr. A. A. Hayes, of the Roxbury Laboratory. 



Read before the Boston Natural Historj^ Society, July'Tth, 1833. 



During the summer of 1827, Mr. F. Alger and myself made a 

 Mineralogical and Geological Survey of the peninsula of Nova Sco- 

 tia, an account of which was published in the American Journal of 

 Science, Vols. xiv. xv. While on this survey, we collected a great 

 number of minerals, principally of the zeolitic family — among which 

 we observed several groups of crystals, having the lustre and general 

 appearance of analcime, but incompatible with that species, in their 

 crystalline form. On our return to Boston, I examined, more partic- 

 ularly, the external and chemical characters of this mineral, and 

 showed it to my friend Mr. Nuttall, who requested me to let him take 

 the specimen with him to London, where he showed it to Mr. Brooke, 

 who measured the angles of the crystal with the reflective goniometer, 

 and expressed his opinion that it was phosphate of lime. 



On Mr. N's return to this country, he told me of Mr. Brooke's de- 

 cision. I mentioned to him the manner in which the mineral com- 

 ported itself with tests, and before the blow-pipe flame, which prov- 

 ed that Mr. Brooke was led into error by taking one set of characters 

 only. A few crystals were now sent to Dr. Torrey, of New- York, 

 by Mr. N. requesting his opinion of them. A short time after which 

 Dr. Torrey published a note in the American Journal of Science, sta- 

 ting his belief that the mineral was Nepheline. 



While in Paris, I gave a few crystals to Mr. Dufrenoy, of the school 

 of mines, requesting him to measure them with the reflective goni- 

 ometer, and to give me the result of his examination. I received a 

 note, a short time afterwards, giving me some of the angles which he 



