Confederations on Nitre . 69 
or overcharged with foreign Matter, is con- 
flantly formed into Pyramids of fix Sides, 
or into hexagonal Columns terminated with 
fuch Pyramids, and refembling the Nitre 
Shoot 5. And as thefe Crystals (hoot moil 
commonly from Rocks of calcarious Stone, 
may not their Form be owing to the fame 
volatile Spirit, more ifrongly fixed and em¬ 
bodied, and compofing a more hard and 
tranfparent Subftance, by an Admixture 
with fome Matter different from that where¬ 
with it compofes Nitre ? And if, inflead 
of exfuding from Stones, and adhering 
thereto by one End, ufually called a Root, 
thefe Principles happen to concrete in fome 
Fluid, or other foft Bed, where both Ends 
are equally at Liberty to fafhion themfelves 
according to the Inclination of their compo¬ 
nent Particles, may we not fuppofe they 
may then produce * thofe fparry or cry- 
Raline Pyramids, joined Bafe towards Bafe 
by the Intervention of an hexagonal Column 
which are known by the Name of Buxton 
Diamonds , from the Place where found 
moft plentifully 5 and which in Figure re- 
femble exa&ly the Shoot of Nitre 6 ? 
The next mod: remarkable Bodies of this 
Kind of Figure are thofe of Snow, which 
* Vid. Woodward's Hi fiery of Fojfils, voL I. p, i6i. Thefe 
Bodies are called hides by Aldrovand . See his Mufieum, p. 
941,942. 
