i49 



TAB. CCCLXXIX 



SI LEX fragilis. 

 Brush-like Actinolite. 



I his curious and remarkable variety is not uncommon in 

 some parts of Scotland, and further north. Its laminated 

 structure and softness will pretty readily distinguish it from 

 Schorl, which it has been taken for. The upper figure 

 represents the opposite side of a piece not much unlike the 

 lower specimen, and is composed almost wholly of Actino- 

 lite lying in confusedly parallel order, with an oblique 

 whitish streak looking like a vein : the rest is mingled with 

 dull and darkish greens : one end shows its scopiform ap- 

 pearance : on the other side it is more crowded than in the 

 -specimen below, which is more schistose, composed of light 

 gray fine silvery Mica, relieving the curved brush-like lines, 

 formed by the somewhat twisted bundles of actinolite, which 

 are rather dull greenish black on the surface, but shining on 

 the sides, and nearly resemble the end fracture of the upper 

 specimen. I received this and some other interesting spe- 

 cimens from the north of Scotland, by favour of my good 

 friend James Brodie, Esq. formerly mentioned in this work. 

 It was gathered bv the Rev. Patrick Forbes of Boharm in 

 Scotland. 



