81 



TAB. CXLIIT. 



CALX carbonata; var. inversa. 

 Inverse crystallized Carbonate of Lime. 



Carbonate of Lime has been remarked at Portland 

 Island for its fine topazine colour, and has thence been 

 denominated Sugar-candied Spar, or Candied Sugar Spar. 

 These crystals are not uncommon in other places, but are 

 often finest in the fissures of the Portland Stone. The 

 Stalagmites from Bath, Yorkshire, &c. present the same 

 substance, generally less massy, and the crystallization 

 more or less in spiculse, which often accord with this in 

 form : therefore this will serve as an illustration of all, 

 whether small or large, and most of the fanciful formations 

 are of this nature. The present specimen terminates in 

 acute rhombs somewhat rounded, forming a pyramid upon 

 the obtuse angle of the nucleus : see the left hand geome- 

 trical figure. These often have some crystals formed under 

 the same circumstances on the sides; and it is a curiosity 

 worth observation here, that these smaller ones are pro- 

 bably formed at a time when the others are nearly perfected 

 but not quite so, as the crystallization is somewhat inde- 

 pendent ; yet they were enabled to stick so into the larger 

 ones, as to be of equal solidity with the rest of the 

 mass. 



