4. The Necronite.—(A supposed new mineral.)
Extract of a letter from Dr. H. H. Hayden of Baltimore, to the Editor, dated January 5, 1819.
"It (the necronite) occurs in a primitive marble, or limestone, which is obtained 21 miles from Baltimore, and a small distance from the York and Lancaster road. It was first noticed by myself at Washington's monument, in which this marble is principally employed.
"It occurs, for the most part, in isolated masses in the blocks, or slabs, both in an amorphous and crystallized state. It is most commonly associated with a beautiful brown mica, of the colour of titanium; small but regular crystals of sulphuret of iron, tremolite, and small prismatic crystals of titanium, which are rare. The form of the crystals is a rhomboid, approximating very much to that of the felspar, and which has inclined some to consider it as such. Also, the hexaedral prism, resembling that of the beryl. This form is rare, and has not, as yet, I believe, been found complete. Its colour is a bluish white, and clear white. Its structure much resembles felspar, being lamellar; sometimes opaque, semi-transparent and transparent, at least in moderately thin pieces. It scratches glass, carbonat of lime, and even felspar, in a slight degree. In all our efforts, it has been found infusible, per se, or with borate of soda, and even from all the force of heat that could be excited in a smith's furnace, it came out unchanged in any degree. The acids seem to have no sensible effect upon it, either cold or hot. This is all that I can say of it at present, except that it possesses a most horrid smell.[44] I have since found in a marble of the same kind, but from a different quarry, and a few miles distant from the first, a quartz almost as fetid as the necronite, and likewise associated with small prisms of titanium.
"These substances carry with them a degree of interest in another point of view. They seem to invalidate the opinion that the fetid smell of secondary limestone, slate, &c. is derived from the decomposition of animal matter. As their gangue is decidedly a rock of primitive formation."
Another new mineral observed by Dr. Hayden.
"Exclusive of the interest which the necronite has excited with me and several others, I have besides stumbled upon another substance, if possible still more interesting. I discovered it in an imperfect state, about 4 years since, but not until recently have I been able to find it perfect, in beautiful garnet coloured cubic crystals ¼ of an inch square or nearly. These crystals are very liable or subject to decomposition, in which state they present a perfect but spongy cube. Although they resemble the cubic zeolite, yet they have nothing of its character with them besides."
Remark.
Dr. Hayden without doubt alludes to the chabasie of the Abbé Haüy, formerly but inaccurately called the cubic zeolite; for it is really a rhomboid very nearly approaching a cube—its angles being 93° 48′, and 86° 12′.
5. Preservation of Dead Bodies.