142 



On Extensive Infusoria Deposits in the 



powerful glass with me, I postponed a closer examination of it 

 until a short time ago. The min eral, loose in itself, is like a 

 kind of flour, and forms an extensive belt of many miles in 

 length by a width of from one quarter to one mile, and a depth 

 of many feet ; soft, and a little soapy to the touch ; is not 

 affected by acids ; and, when exposed with soda to the blow- 

 pipe, it rapidly moves on the surface of the soda pearl, 

 suddenly dissolves and unites with it forming a kind of glass. 

 Under a magnifying lens of 350 diameters, this powder has the 

 appearance of elongated flat bodies, ornamented with triangular 

 spurs irregularly projecting in every direction. (Vide fig. 1.) 

 Some specimens only have a rugged appearance on both 

 sides (vide fig. 2), and not unfrequently small round bodies with 

 a spot in the centre. (Vide fig. 3.) This is all that I could 

 detect. 



Fig. 1 Fig. tb 



Ficj.U Fig 5 Fig- 



m>3Q 



Mr. Poord, chemist in Mr. Clarke's Assay Office, in Eliza- 

 beth-street, has given me his aid in these examinations ; and, as 

 he had a specimen of a similar mineral, forwarded to him by a 

 dioger at Albury, we compared his sample specimen with 

 mine ; but the forms exhibited by it were without the pyra- 

 midical triangular spurs (vide fig. 4), and only slightly rugged 

 on the outer margin of the body of the Infusorium. In this 

 inner part I observed on each side two lines forming, as it were, 

 a channel longitudinally through the body of these little 

 animals. 



Professor Ehrenberg's work on the Infusoria has just 

 arrived at the public library, and at page 191, sec. 254, you 

 will see Eunolia granulata (vide fig. 6) very nearly identical with 



