OCUUilllEXCE OF OPAL NEAR NEW ROSS, N. S. — PIERS. 449 



province, that it is geDerally white or nearly so in colour, and 

 that some of the mineral so called may be Cacholong. A 

 specimen w^hich he considered to be Opal-agate was found as a 

 loose pebble at Beech Hill, to the southward of Kentville, 

 Kings County, and a portion of it was sent to Mr. Julius 

 Cornelius, jeweller, of Halifax, who had it cut and polished, 

 and so produced handsome seal or ring-stones composed of 

 white and bluish-w^hite stripes about the sixteenth of an inch 

 thick. The only occurrences mentioned in Howe's list of 

 mineral localities are at "Partridge Island (opal, semiopal) ," 

 and "Beech Hill (opal-agate, loose)." Diatomaceous Earth, 

 which chemically is a variety of Opal, is found in a large num- 

 ber of lakes of Nova Scotia ; and Cacholong is also a variety 

 (jf the same mineral. These, however, are of no interest to 

 the lapidary. 



Precious and Common Opal usually occur as hydration 

 products filling cavities and fissures or seams in igneous rocks, 

 such as trachyte, ix)rphyry, etc. ; also in mineral veins and 

 elsewhere. 



In closing, it may be mentioned that a beautiful blue, trans- 

 parent mineral is reported to have been found by John Reeves in 

 in the pegmatite debris at the tin prospect on his land about 

 % of a mile south-southwest of the south extremity 

 of Lake Ramsay, to the west of New Ross. It was shown to 

 me, and is undoubtedly very beautiful, but I had no oppor- 

 tunity of making an examination whereby its character might 

 be ascertained. It has been suggested that it may be a blue 

 Beryl, which is not improbable. Beryls have been found 

 there, although I presume that they w^re of the common green 

 variety. 



