TAB. CCLXXXVII. 
FERRUM _  sulphureum. 
Sulphuret of Iron. Hair Pyrites. 
Div. 2. Imitative. Capillary. 
EB 
Whuen we find a curiosity from its rarity and peculiarity 
invaluable, we may with great satisfaction contemplate its 
nature from a figure and description, first as learning that 
such a thing exists, and next as such a representation ap- 
proaches nearest to possessing an object which only one or 
two can actually possess. 
The specimen here figured was gathered by W. E. Shef- 
field, Esq., in Wales, and therefore truly British. We are 
indebted to the generosity of that gentleman for the use of 
the very delicate specimen. The extreme tenuosity. of the 
fibres is only to be equalled by the spider’s attenuated thread. 
The Pyrites shoots so like a spider’s thread across the hol- 
lows in the Septarium, which is an argillaceous iron-stone 
related to tab. 61, that, as the specimen really had got 
some spider’s webs across it, they were difficult to be distin- 
guished. The web, however, would not bear the gentle 
breath of wind without being put in motion; but had it 
been less carefully kept, the real webs might have been the 
strongest. Some of the threads are so thin, that it is difi- 
cult to see the golden hue of the Pyrites ; afew are thicker, 
80 as to show it tolerably distinctly. 
