328 Mineralogy and Geology of a part of Nova Scotia. 



posed of tabular and columnar greenstone rising in irregular 

 columns to the top of the precipice. The stratified disposition 

 of these rocks, we believe, is an uncommon occurrence. How 

 far it continues we are unable to say, as further progress along 

 the coast was impracticable. Nor did the tide allow us time 

 to examine this coast so attentively as we desired, or it is 

 probable we should have discovered the line of junction be- 

 tween the greenstone and the sandstone, on which, doubt- 

 less, the whole precipice is incumbent. But as few masses 

 of sandstone were observed lying on the beach, it is proba- 

 ble this junction is visible only at very , low tides. Dr. 

 M'Culloch has mentioned an appearance similar to this, in 

 the Island of Staffa ; but there the precipice consisted most- 

 ly of columnar basalt, and the three beds composing it did 

 not exhibit that distinct relation of contact which distin- 

 guishes the one we have mentioned. (Trans. Geol. Soc. 

 vol. II.) The amygdaloid near this precipice furnishes good 

 specimens of laumonite and mesotype ; but the most abund- 

 ant mineral it contains is heulandite, which, from the beauty 

 of its crystals, we shall here describe. It occupies the inte- 

 rior of veins of quartz, and is sometimes found lining the 

 surfaces of botryoidal chalcedony and geodiferous quartz. 

 The crystals are in the form of the right oblique angled 

 prism, with the obtuse solid angles replaced by triangular 

 planes, and the acute edges are also replaced by one plane, 

 and the crystals thus pass into the hexahedral prism. They 

 are colorless and transparent. On cleavage parallel to the 

 terminal plane of the prism, the lamina? present the brilliant 

 pearly white appearance characteristic of this species. The 

 lateral planes often present a remarkable vitreous aspect. 

 None of the heulandite however, from this locality possesses 

 the red color peculiar to that brought from the Tyrol. Spe- 

 cimens of it are frequently interspersed with stilbite in pro- 

 jecting bundles of crystals, which well show the characteris- 

 tic difference between the two minerals. Analcime of a 

 reddish color is also associated with it, and is probably that 

 variety called sarcolite. 



No further examination was made of this coast until we 

 arrived at Cape Split. This bold promontory, terminating 

 the north eastward limit of the north mountain range, pro- 

 jects into the Bay of Fundy, and the extremity "of the cape 

 having been detached from the main land, probably from the 

 undermining of the amygdaloid by the tumultuous waves, 



