43 



TA3. CCCXXVI. 



COBALTUM arseniatum. 

 Arseniate of Cobalt. 



Class 3. Metals. Order 2. Oxygenized Compounds. 

 Gen. 7. Cobalt. Spec. 1. Arseniate. 



Gen. Char. Cobalt united to Oxygen. 

 Spec. Char. Oxide of Cobalt united to Arsenic 

 Acid. _ 



Flowers of Cobalt, commonly so called, are found at 

 Bruton quarry near Edinburgh, and at Alva mine in Stir- 

 lingshire. The beautiful soft and tufted spicules of the 

 upper specimen were, when fresh gathered, of a most bril- 

 liant satiny appearance, reflecting a fine light or dark rose 

 colour. The little tufts radiate from a centre nearly in a 

 globular form. They are extremely tender to the touch, 

 and lose their brilliancy in a lighter powder. Sometimes 

 the spicules have a flattish reflecting side or surface, and 

 spread in broader masses, somewhat resembling crimson 

 velvet or plush : they are occasionally nearly white. The 

 middle left hand figure represents the little spicules spread- 

 ing in tufts. The right hand ones are of the same mag- 

 nified. The lower figures have the spicules somewhat la- 

 minated ; the left hand one being magnified. Cobalt Flowers 

 have lately been imported, and are very valuable. They 

 were first discovered in the quarries near Edinburgh by 

 Dr. Smith, P.L.S., when a student at Edinburgh, in 1781. 



