Gazetteer of Scotland

INTRODUCTION. *ii
Fifeshire, mixed with the sand on the sea shore, and adhering to the
rocks : they are in general df inferior lustre, and of small size. Emeralds
*re found in several places ; and amethysts are pretty frequently met
with, particularly in the mountain of Lochnagaraidh, in Aberdeenshire:
some of these are an inch in diameter, of good colour, and valued at 30
or 40 guineas each. Garnets are found in many places of the Highlands,
of good sizes, and in considerable quantities. Agates, carnelians or Scots
pebbles, are abundant, and well known ; they are no where equalled in
beauty or variety. Jaspers of various kinds are met with in almost
every district ; some of them great beauty and value. Chalcedony is
found in Fife, equal in hardness and water to the oriental. Most of
the northern and southern mountains are composed of granite : that of
Bennevis is said to be equally beautiful with the Egyptian. At Portsoy
is found that singular kind of granite called Moses' Tables, which, whea
polished, resembles the Hebrew characters, on a white ground. Besides
these, there are innumerable rare and curious fossils; to enumerate which,
would alone make a long article.* Before we leave this article, we may
mention the frequent marks of volcanic fire which many of the moun?
tains exhibit, particularly the basaltic columns of Staffa, the mountains
near Beregor.ium in Argyllshire, and the hill of Arthur Seat near Edin-
burgh.
■ t
MINERAL WATERS.
In a country so abounding with metallic ores, many of the springs must
necessarily have a mineral impregnation. The chalybeate springs are
almost innumerable ; particularly at Moffat, Peterhead, Dunse, Aber-
brothock, &c. Sulphureous springs are also found at Moffat, and at St f ^
Bernard's Well near Edinburgh. Many of the springs also hold some
neutral salt dissolved ; e. g. at Pitcaithly. Wherever the spring pro-
ceeds from a bed of limestone, it acquires a petrifying property, of
which there are numerous examples, at the Dropping-Caye of Slains in
Aberdeenshire, and in many places in Lanark and Ayrshires, &c.
ANIMALS, &c.
The wild animals of Scotland are the fox, the badger, the otter, the
stag, the wild roe, the hare, and the rabbit ; the wild-cat, the hedge-hog,
the weasel, the mole, and other small quadrupeds. But there is proo
that some others have been inhabitants of the country, which are now
* For further particulars concerning the mineralogy of Scotland, we .
refer the reader to the Gazetteer, where particular notice is taken of every
article under the name of the place where it is found ; and, for more N
full information, to Jamieson's Mineralogy of the Scotish isles ; Wil-
liams's Mineralogy of Scotland j and Travels in Scotland, &c, by Mons^
-3?aujas de St Fond,