Arseniate of Cobalt

Flowers of Cobalt, commonly so called, are found at Bruton quarry near Edinburgh, and at Alva mine in Stirlingshire. The beautiful soft and tufted spiculæ of the upper specimen were, when fresh gathered, of a most brilliant satiny appearance, reflecting a fine light or dark rose colour. The little tufts radiate from a centre nearly in a globular form. They are extremely tender to the touch, and lose their brilliancy in a lighter powder. Sometimes the spicules have a flattish reflecting side or surface, and spread in broader masses, somewhat resembling crimson velvet or plush: they are occasionally nearly white. The middle left hand figure represents the little spiculæ spreading in tufts. The right hand ones are of the same magnified. The lower figures have the spiculæ somewhat laminated; the left hand one being magnified. Cobalt Flowers have lately been imported, and are very valuable. They were first discovered in the quarries near Edinburgh by Dr. Smith, P.L.S., when a student at Edinburgh, in 1781.