30 Geology y Mineralogy, Scenery, ^c. of the 



found. Galena has been seen in the grayvvacke ranges ad- 

 jacent to Greenpond. Beautiful tremolite is connected with 

 the white granular limestone of Stonybrook. The red ox- 

 ide of zinc is abundant in the Highlands of Morris County 

 within a few miles of Sparta, it is associated with granular 

 iron ore. It is likewise found in several iron mines situated 

 in Sussex County. As pure zinc can easily be extracted 

 from the red oxide ore so plentifully observed, it is a mat- 

 ter of surprise that no attempts have been made to furnish 

 that very useful metal to the public from the New-Jersey 

 mines. Sulphuret of zinc is found near Hamburg and 

 Sparta — crystals of quartz are frequently noticed in the 

 rocks of the interior Highland ranges. 



To the north-west the Highlands are bordered for their 

 whole extent by a transition region which presents gray- 

 wack slate, and blue compact limestone to the vicinity of 

 New-Jersey. 



In the transition of that state west of the Highlands, crys- 

 talized aluminated, white limestone abounds. It ranges 

 through Sussex and a part of Orange County, embracing 

 graphite, talc, zircon, and brucite. A rock in the vicinit)^ 

 of Sparta was formerly the only known locality for the last 

 mentioned mineral. I have recently found it half a mile 

 from that spot and Col. Gibbs has discovered it in quantity 

 several miles distant. Dr. Torrey has observed it in speci- 

 mens of white limestone from Orange County, and has re- 

 cently been informed in a communication from Sweden, 

 that a mineral of that kingdom is considered by Professor 

 Berzelius the same as the brucite and called chondrodit, 

 regarding it as a new species. The colour of brucite is a 

 bright yellow, with a resinous lustre, found in crystals sel- 

 dom perfect, and in amorphous masses three inches in di- 

 ameter. In the limestone embracing this mineral, mica and 

 foliated graphite are observed. I found at Sparta, masses 

 of this last mineral, of several pounds weight. Compact 

 gray limestone is seen in many places between Hamburgh 

 and Sparta near the base of the mountains resting on prim- 

 itive rock. I noticed in this neighbourhood, petrifications 

 of orthocerites, pectinites, madrepores and other marine, or- 

 ganic remains, generally in an argillaceous base. The most 

 western ridge of the Highlands rises to a greater height than 

 the other ranges of New-Jersey. An interesting view i? 



