[ 3 6 ] 
three fpecimens of this metal native, or pure, will 
now exclude all further doubt. 
The account of it is as follows. In the month 
of May laft was found near St. Auftle, by fome 
ftreamers, a large cake, or nodule, of tin ore, weigh- 
ing about fix pounds, irregular in fhape, cracked or 
jagged at the edges, lying about five feet under the 
furface, and in the middle of that ftratum of tin 
ore, fo remarkably fpread in the moor adjoining to 
the forementioned town [vide Natural Hiftory of 
Cornwall, page 163). When the lump was broke, 
it appeared to confift of two coats, or incruftations, 
furrounding the whole, and of a nucleus or central 
fubftance of a quartz intermixed with the pureft 
malleable tin. 
The firft fpecimen is now lodged in my defk of 
Cornifh foftils at the Mufeum in Oxford. The 
outmoft cruft was about 4 of an inch thick at a 
medium, and of a brownifh ftraw color ; the fecond 
or inner coat was blacker, clofer grained, with fome 
faint appearances of whitifh fpecks interfperfed, and 
about i. of an inch thick ; thefe two coats inclofed a 
3 * 
third fubftance, conhfting of laminated cryftals, rifing 
lide by fide out of an edging, which fhines like 
melted tin, and lies as it were at their roots coherent 
to the fecond coat. Thefe cryftalline laminas are 
thin almoft as the flakes or fcales of talc, and being 
Ihot in a great variety of directions interfeCt each 
other, and leave a vaft number of cells, within which 
are plainly feen, and may be cut freely with a knife, 
many fpecks and granules of pure native tin. 
The fecond fpecimen, which I have the honor 
to prefent to the Mufeum of the Royal Society, is 
of 
