SCOTTISH MARBLES. 109 
marble have been more admired than that obtained from 
Tirie, one of the Western Islands of Scotland. It is of 
a reddish, sometimes a delicate rose-coloured tint, and 
sometimes white ; and is always intermixed with other mi- 
nerals which add to its beauty. The most common of 
these is of black colour, and called hornblende ; the 
others are pale green sahlite, blackish brown mica (123), 
and green chlorite. In some varieties the hornblende is 
more abundant than the marble. 
176. ASSYNT MARBLE. At Assjnt, in Sutherland, 
a white marble has been discovered, which is perfectly 
solid and pure, and entirely free from blemishes or 
stains. Blooks or slabs of it may be cut of almost any 
size that can be required. This marble acquires a 
smooth surface, but remains of a dead hue ; whence, of 
course, its uses as an ornamental marble are much cir- 
cumscribed. 
177. ISLE OF SKY MARBLE. There is found in the 
Isle of Sky a marble of pure white colour, which ap- 
pears capable of yielding large and valuable blocks. Its 
fracture is granular and splintery, and its texture fine. 
It is harder, heavier, and more compact than the marble 
of Carrara (146) ; and is apparently well fitted for all 
the purposes of sculpture. But it has the defect of be- 
ing very unequally hard. While some parts of the stone 
are nearly as easy to work as that of Carrara, other 
parts are so hard as to add a charge of near fifty per 
cent, to the cost of the working. 
173. SUTHERLAND MARBLE. Some beautiful spe- 
cimens of marble of dark brown colour, veined with 
whitish, light red, or light brown, have lately been 
brought from the county of Sutherland. These appear 
of close texture, are susceptible of a beautiful polish, 
and are capable of being wrought into extremely beau- 
tiful slabs for chimney-pieces and other ornamental 
purposes. 
179. GLEN TILT MARBLE is of white or grey colour > 
