28 
saloon, specimens illustrative of the transition from a very 
Nat. Hist, close to a loose fibrous structure ; various speci¬ 
mens of the flexible asbest or amianth, with some 
antique incombustible cloth, paper, he. made of 
it; the varieties called mountain wood, mountain 
cork, or nectic asbest, &c. separate, and in com¬ 
bination with other substances As bordering on 
the varieties of actinote in the adjoining opposite 
glass-case, we have here the diallagite (diallage), 
the green variety of which, called also smaragdite, 
is considered by Werner as a granular variety of 
actinote : in combination with saussurite (a va¬ 
riety of compact feldspar) it constitutes the verde 
di Corsica . Another variety is called omphacite 
by Werner.—In its vicinity is also placed the axe- 
stone, or Punamu-stone, thus called after one of 
the New Zealand Islands, where the natives make 
hatchets, idols, he. of it: it is generally consi¬ 
dered as a variety of jade. 
Case 17. This case is occupied by the mica¬ 
ceous and talcose substances.— Among the varie¬ 
ties of mica or glimmer, may be specified those 
that exhibit perfectly transparent crystals ; the 
beautiful red and yellow varieties, together with 
those of a metallic lustre : diverging-radiated 
mica,&c.— Finite (micarelle of Kirwan).— Lepi - 
dolite ; with which is placed a specimen of what 
is considered as compact lepidolite.—Interme¬ 
diate between mica and talc, is the chlorite , 
among the varieties of which are the earthy, 
eommon,foliated, and the slaty: the last of these, 
with 
