388 Miscellanies. 



son's able and efBcient management. No time for a full completion of 

 this great labor can be so good as the present ; an abandonment would 

 be most unwise, — even a suspension highly injurious, and in point of 

 economy, very improvident and wasteful. 



18. Catlinite* or Indian Pipe Stone. — Dr. Jackson, of Boston, has 

 analyzed Mr. Catlin's pipe stone from Coteau du Prairie, which is not 

 steatite, but a new compound very similar to agalraatolite, it being com- 

 posed of in 100 grains : 



Water, .-8.4 grs. 



Silica, - - - - - - - 48.2 " 



Alumina, - - - - - - _- 28.2 " 



Magnesia, 6.0 " 



Perox. iron, - - - - - _ 5.0 " 



Ox. manganese, - - - - - ^ 0.6 " 



Carb. lime, 2.6 " 



Loss, (probably magnesia,) - - - - 1 " 



The carbonate of lime is not an essential ingredient, but is mixed in 

 fine particles. 



The Catlinite evidently exists in pseudo strata or tabular sheets, and 

 overlaid by quartz rock, glazed, as if from the action of fire, while the 

 surface is carved with bird tracks, called by the Indians the points or 

 footsteps of the great spirit. 



19. EncJce's Comet. — The proximity of this body to the earth, during 

 its return in the latter part of the present year, has rendered it an object 

 of peculiar interest to astronomers. It was seen in England as early as 

 the 21st of September, but as yet no foreign observations upon it have 

 reached us. Unfortunately, an ephemeris of this comet was not obtained 

 in this country until the middle of November, at which time it had passed 

 the circle of perpetual apparition, and was visible but for an hour or two 

 in the evening after sunset. It was first seen in this country on the 17th 

 of November, and at a number of places simultaneously ; at Yale Col- 

 lege, New Haven, at the Wesleyan University of Middletown in this 

 State, and at Philadelphia. It had then recently passed the point of its 

 nearest approach to the earth, which was about 21 millions of miles, and 

 was visible to the naked eye as a star of the 4.5 magnitude. 



We have, as yet, heard of no regular series of observations upon the 

 comet made in this country. But few days remained after its discovery 

 before it should disappear in the evening twilight, and its proximity to 



* After Mr. Catlin, the celebrated traveller in the West, and the successful 

 painter of Indians, their costume, the scenery of their country, &c. His Indian 

 museum is a most interesting and unique collection. 



