B. W. Frazier — Axinite from Bethlehem, Penn. 439 



Art. LI.— On Crystals of Axinite from a locality near Beth- 

 lehem, Pennsylvania, with some remarks upon the analogies 

 between the crystalline forms of Axinite and of Datolite ; bx B. 

 W. Frazier. 



The crystals of axinite described in this paper were found in 

 the heap of debris surrounding an abandoned pit, which had been 

 *unk i" exploring for ore on a farm in Northampton County, 

 Pennsylvania, about three miles north of Bethlehem. 



The locality was discovered by Professor R Prime, Jr., of 

 the second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, ami was brought 

 by him to the notice of the 'late Professor W. T. Rcepper. who 

 determined the mineral to be axinite, and who secured a num- 

 ber of specimens of it. The determination of the mineral as 

 axinite, was made also, independently, by Dr. F. A. Genth, the 

 mineralogist of* the Survey. Upon the purchase of Professor 

 Kcepper's collection of minerals by the Lehigh University, the 

 specimens of axinite collected by him from this locality became 

 the property of the University, and have furnished the material 

 for this investigation. The instrument which has been em- 

 ployed in the measurements is a goniometer made on the Bab- 

 inet system by R Fuess of Berlin, and imported for the Uni- 

 versity. A description of this form of goniometer is given by 

 Websky in the Xeitschrift, fur Krystallngraphie, vol. iv, p. 545. 



The crystals occur in arockconti nnblende, 



apparently mixed intimately with axinite. and traversed by 

 numerous narrow veins of axinite. In some of these veins the 

 axinite is mixed with asbestus. Probably owing to this associ- 



Wherever in the veins a free surface is exposed, it is thickly 

 covered with implanted crystals of axinite, irregularly crowded 

 together. Some of the crystals are colorless, others and the 

 crystalline variety which fills the veins have a pale brown 

 color. The color in some cases is chiefly superficial from the 

 presence of a thin, brown incrustation which occurs sometimes 

 m minute globular concretions, sometimes in dendritic forms. 

 The luster of the crystals varies from dull to highly brilliant. 



The crystals have the usual sharp, axe-like shape, which 

 originally' suggested to Haiiy the name of the mineral. The 

 planes occurring in the zone p, I, u* and especially the planes 

 p and u, have the greatest development, and these planes are 



s adopted by v. Rath i 





