Brush-like Actinolite

This curious and remarkable variety is not uncommon in some parts of Scotland, and further north. Its laminated structure and softness will pretty readily distinguish it from Schorl, which it has been taken for. The upper figure represents the opposite side of a piece not much unlike the lower specimen, and is composed almost wholly of Actinolite lying in confusedly parallel order, with an oblique whitish streak looking like a vein: the rest is mingled with dull and darkish greens: one end shows its scopiform appearance: on the other side it is more crowded than in the specimen below, which is more schistose, composed of light gray fine silvery Mica, relieving the curved brush-like lines, formed by the somewhat twisted bundles of actmolite, which are rather dull greenish black on the surface, but shining on the sides, and nearly resemble the end fracture of the upper specimen. I received this and some other interesting specimens from the north of Scotland, by favour of my good friend James Brodie, Esq. formerly mentioned in this work. It was gathered by the Rev, Patrick Forbes of Boharm in Scotland.