Sulphate of Barytes

These crystals of Sulphate of Barytes are placed upon their acute edges; they are for the most part extremely flat, so that the column is as it were lost in flatness, and the form is in some parts less easily understood, as they are crowded very much, and strangely grouped into hanging and curving forms, and each individual crystal is a little rounded. The present specimen is, I believe, as rare as it is curious, as we could less expect a heavy substance like this to have such an appearance among the groups. Some have an apt resemblance to a parcel of petals, giving the appearance of a corolla or flower. See the lower figure.

We need not wonder perhaps at any general appearance of this substance, when we see how it sports here; yet it is necessary to know that it has many odd appearances which might be attributed to something else.