Crystallized Sulphate of Lead

I believe there is no place in the world, except Anglesea in North Wales, where this substance has been found; and all we have heard or seen of it came from the Parys mine. We were extremely lucky, after having met with the best collection of crystals in the world, from the present octaëdron, through various modifications, to have found an extraordinary addition in another set that we had received through the favour of our good friend, and friend to the Natural History, the Reve. Hugh Davies, F. L. S.^*

These were so new as to make the former set doubly valuable. The present specimen is not so brilliant as many, but, of the kind, is one of the largest and best crystals yet procured. Its fracture in some directions is laminated, parallel to the primitive, in others vitreous. Perhaps one of its characters may be taken from its odour, which is similar to the smell of the place in which white lead is prepared, with a peculiar pungency. It is easily reduced on charcoal.—The forms are in general somewhat neat, and the crystals are sometimes as clear as the finest glass; at other times they are coloured with an oxide of Iron, from a yellowish hue to a rusty brown.—They are brittle, and soft enough to be scratched by Sulphate of Barytes, but not Carbonate of Lime, and are mostly found on an ochraceous gangue.