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MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



other known mineral bodies, selected as standards, 

 and arranged in a fixed scale, which is as follows : 



No. 1. Talc. 



2. Gypsum-Rock-Salt. 

 2*5. Foliated-Mica. 



3. Calcareous-Spar (any cleav- 



able variety.) 



4. Fluor-Spar (any cleavable 



variety). 



5. Apatite (transparent variety). 



5*5. Scapolite (crystalline va- 

 riety). 



6. Felspar (cleavable variety). 



7. Quartz (transparent). 



8. Topaz (transparent). 



9. Sapphire (cleavable va- 



riety). 

 10. Diamond. 



5. State of Aggregation. This may render them 

 brittle, malleable, sectile, flexible, or elastic. 



6. Fracture, may be conchoidal, uneven, even, 

 fibrous, splintery, or hackly. 



7. Taste, distinguishes some soluble minerals, 

 which may be, — 



1. Astringent, resembling Vi- 



triol. 



2. Sweetish- A stringent, resem- 



bling Alum. 



3. Saline, resembling Com- 



mon-Salt. 



5. Cooling, resembling Salt- 



petre. 



6. Bitter, resembling Epsom 



Salts. 



7. Sour, resembling Sulphu- 



ric Acid. 



4. A Ikaline, resembling Soda. 



8. Odour, is applicable only to a few substances, 

 the divisions are, — 



5. Fetid, like Sulphuretted- 

 Hydrogen. 



6. Argillaceous, like moist- 

 ened clay. 



1. Alliaceous, like Garlic. 



2. Horse-Eadish, like the De- 



caying root. 



3. Sulphureous. 



4. Bituminous. 



The other characters, though often of great im- 

 portance, can be only properly examined at home, 

 and not being applicable for travelling purposes, 

 need not here be more than alluded to. 



