E. 3. Dana — Mmiazitefrom North Carolina. 



several hundred perhaps only half a dozen exceeded -^ inch 

 in diameter: rarely crystals of \ inch in length were found. 

 The crystals were highly modified, very brilliant in luster, of a 



rich topaz-yellow color, and perfectly transparent. 



It is further stated by Mr. Hidden that he has found large 

 crystals of monazite in situ in mica schist at the Deake mica 

 mine in Mitchell County ; one of these was 1J inches in length 

 and | inch in width. The same mineral occurs in white ortho- 

 clase at the Ray mica mine on Hurricane Mountain in Yancey 

 County. He has also found it very commonly in the aurifer- 

 ous gravels of McDowel, Rutherford, Burke and Polk Counties. 

 It is most abundant at J. C. Mill's gold mine in the Brindle- 

 town District, Burke County, " fifty pounds of gravel washings 

 from this mine afforded sixty per cent of monazite." The 

 crystals from this last locality have been analyzed by Mr. S. L. 

 Penfield (see p. 251, in this number.) 



A few of the best crystals of the monazite from Mill 

 Mill, Alexander County, have been placed in the hands of the 

 writer by Mr. Hidden ; and one of these, 

 uperior in luster to the others, has 

 it opportunity for a tolerably exact 

 nation of the crystalline form. The 

 crystals arc generally prismatic 

 in habit through the elongation of the 

 planes v ( + 1), and in this respect they 

 are similar to a variety of the Russian 

 >y von Kok- 

 scharof,* as also to crystals from Canton 

 Tessin, Switzerland, described by Selig- 



The single crystal, which was subjected to careful measure- 

 ment, was very brilliant in luster, and most of the planes, with 

 the exception of those lettered v ( + 1) gave good reflections. 

 The following planes were observed, all of which are common 



In addition to the above, three other planes were observed, viz: 

 £, replacing the edge to/v (121, Tii ); c\ replacing the edge co/v 

 (121, ill); and <p replacing the ed<;e r/e (HI, Oil). The meas- 

 ured angles (£^a»=44°, ^^w=56°, (p/^e=ty°) were only rough 



