Hair-like Pyrites, or Sulphuret of Iron

This beautiful specimen was found many years ago in the magnificent Lime Quarries of Lord Elgin, at Broomhall in Fifeshire, and is the only one of the kind which has been discovered.

The specimen is in the possession of my kind friend Robert Ferguson, Esq., who was so good as to send it from Scotland for me to delineate. The appearance of so many radiating, straight, bristle-like forms has a remarkable effect, and is very striking. Although they are extremely attenuated, they seem to be square, and are probably elongated octaëdrons. Their passing through and among the Pearlspar^* so uninterruptedly is worthy of notice, and will give us reason to believe that both substances settled from their solvents at the same time, or nearly so, without disturbing each other. They are both upon shelly grayish Lime Stone. It is with much pleasure that I introduce this as a British specimen, as it is not at all generally known to be found any where but at Joachimsthal in Bohemia, and even there very seldom.