146 J.D. Dana on System in Mineralogical Nomenclature, 
Porphyrites, from gies , purple. 
rasites—gaaltys of Theophrastus, from the leek-green songe 
Crateritis, from *getegds, strong, in allusion to the hardn 
Anthracitis, for a stone a =e in being black an yielding 8 
black color when rubbed whetstone ; also for another kind 
which resembled a. bataiicsal coal. 
Ophites, for stones having streaks of green color, like serpents. 
2. Names having reference to the form of the stone. 
Ostracites, for fossil shells. 
Ostritis, a fossil oyster shell, or Sse species. 
“asst for Stones resembling a ate, 
tryite fe of grapes 
Phycites, * Se a seaweed, from unos, a seaweed, 
rpitis, . bs a scorpion in color or shape. 
Dendritis, . . a tree. 
3. Names derived from the uses of the mineral. 
ae for the stone (mostly, if not dag —- from which 
of vase called alabastron wa 
Chrysites, fro xguads, gold, it parade wed in ialala for gold. 
Basanites, from Séoavos, a touchstone. 
4, Names having reference to rs constitution of the stoné. 
ome yg a _ a over or brass, for a copper ore. 
Sideri 
Chiysiti ra et 2 Greek fo for gold), Argyritis (from the Greek for silver), 
and Molybditis (from the Greek for lead), were names of products 
obtained in the ee of silver ores; the first is supposed to have 
_ been a yellow lithar, 
5. Names pee. JSrom the names of localities. 
Pharanites, from the name of a locality in Arabia. 
es from a locality on the shores of the i gies 
oas 
syonine, from Syene, in =oyPt probably the va Eretie of Syene. 
Memphites, from Memphis in Egypt—a kind of ma a. 
The termination des or itis was thus eee of the names : 
of minerals, stones, or fossils.* Moreover, the names were de 
PROD, 
° 
B 
> 
~ 
kes 
° 
=) 
a 
@ 
bar] 
von a PU Pioas ince t afier persons 
Werner appears to have been the first to introduce this class of name . 
into Mineralogy. The “aphex example, if I mistake not, was that of 
rege: what de Born had called Green ey (Mica viridis) Torberilé, 
* ‘This termination Neat nis sins ick word 2480s, stone, for this word E 
when in composition retains logge aes also in the modern German) - 
