Intelligence and Miscellanies. 183 



2. Native Iron ? slightly arseniuretted. — The substance de- 

 scribed below, was brought to me two or three weeks since, 

 by Mr. Philo Baldwin,* who stated that it was from Bedford 

 county, Pennsylvania, in which county we believe Mr. B. lives. 



Perceiving that it was a singular modification of iron, and 

 different from any thing I was acquainted with, — it was, at 

 my request, submitted by Mr. S. to chemical examination. 



My impressions are, that it is a new variety of native iron, 

 and that it differs from that substance only by containing 

 a little arsenic, with a little plumbago. Measures will be 

 taken to obtain a greater supply, as it is stated to be abun- 

 dant, and will at least form an interesting addition to our 

 cabinets. 



We take this opportunity to say, that a notice of facts re- 

 lating to the native iron of Canaan, which is unavoidably 

 postponed, will appear in the next No. — B. S. 



Chemical examination. — The fragment weighed, I should 

 judge, two or three ounces, and although it had sustained 

 considerable injury, it evidently formed a distinct crystal. By 

 observing a symmetrical modification which this crystal had 

 undergone, in the truncation of two of its alternate obtuse 

 solid angles, I was able easily to ascertain, that it belonged 

 to the class of rhombic prisms, but whether the prism was 

 right or oblique, I could not determine. The natural planes 

 were not sufficiently even, to allow of the determination of 

 their angles with perfect accuracy : neither were the results, 

 from numerous cleavage planes, uniform enough for this, 

 purpose ; although in the latter case the reflective goniom- 

 eter was used with the utmost convenience. The inclina- 

 tion of the primary planes may be regarded as an approxima- 

 tion to 121° and 59°, and those of the secondary (intersect- 

 ing the base parallel to its greater diagonal) to the primary 

 146°. With the cleavage crystals the following angles were 

 obtained, 120°, 121°, and 122° — a diversity very remarkable, 

 as the cleavages appeared to the eye quite perfect and the 

 planes highly uniform. 



The cleavage parallel to the lateral planes is effected with- 

 out much difficulty, whilst no terminal one is visible ; it break- 



* Mr. Baldwin went to Newtown, Connecticut, where he formerly resided, 

 and was to return in a week to learn the nature of the mineral, hut has not yet 

 called, which prevents me from stating the exact locality.— B. S, 



