130 Prof. How 0ft the Mineralogy ojWoca Scotia. 



distant. Prehnite, I may mention, has never been found, to a 

 certainty, in this province, so far as I know. 



Some little time after my paper was published I obtained 

 from Dr. Webster*, my companion when the nodule was 

 found, a small mass of mineral precisely described in the words 

 of Dr. Gesner above, only that there was an entire absence of 

 colour. It was found detached upon the beach 100 yards or 

 so from the pier at Hall's Harbour. It was about tho size of 

 a bantam's egg, weighed close upon 150 grains, and seemed 

 to bo uniform, except that there was one very small patch re- 

 sembling cerinite ; the major part was of high pearly lustre, 

 and either transparent or strongly translucent ; but a consi- 

 derable portion of the surface was opaque. This appearance 

 the remains of the specimen in my possession retain to this 

 day. As it is sometimes important to record historical details 

 in the case of "doubtful minerals," I may mention that I 

 placed about half the piece I received from Dr. Webster in 

 the hands of Professor Marsh, of Yale College, who at that 

 time was a student there, and used to collect extensively in 

 this province daring his vacations ; and I remember perfectly 

 well his saying that the mineral was unfamiliar to him. An 

 analysis was made at the time of portions partly pearly, partly 

 opaque rthe sample having been ignited for water, the residue 

 was treated with acid, and the resulting " silica)" fused with 

 i rbonates of sodium and potassium ; alumina and lime 

 were separated and added to the quantities in the original 

 fluid. The final results on the air-dry mineral were : — • 







Oxygen. 



Lime . . 



. . 31-53 



9 



Alumina . 



. . 2-19 





Potassa 



. . 0-76 





Water . . 



. . 11-58 



10-29 



Silica . . 



. . 54-72 



29-18 



100-78 



These numbers, on comparison with the following mean of my 

 former analyses and the percentages calculated from the formula 

 to which they led, 



* A well-known and successful collector, whose fine cabinet now forms 

 a prominent feature in the Provincial Museum, Halifax, N. S., by the ge- 

 nerosity of his widow. ' 



