MY CABINET. No. XVIII. WE have now to notice some more scarce metals. The next on our list is Glucinium, the base of an earth named glucine, found in the composition of the emerald, beryl and euclase. Of the two former we have already spoken; the latter is often called prismatic emerald, and is very rare, found only in Peru and Brazil. It has less silica and more alumina than the orthodox emerald, with a little of the oxydes of iron and tin, and about twenty-two parts of glucine, while the emerald has only twelve, and the beryl fourteen or fifteen. The thirty-eighth is Yttrium, also producing, with oxygen, an earth which is called yttria. We have already noticed it in yttro-columbite and yttro-cerite. Gadolinite consists of forty-five parts of yttria, and twenty-five of silica, with other substances. Phosphate of yttria contains a little fluoric acid and sub-phosphate of iron. Both these minerals are very rare, especially the latter, which is found only in Norway. The next metal is Thorium, extremely rare, and also forming an earth named Thoria. Phillips says, that it is found with yttria in Gadolinite; but Allan gives a totally different analysis of that ore, and probably alludes to another substance from that intended by Phillips. The fortieth metal is Magnesium, which yields the earth so well known as a drug. In the mineral kingdom it is found in a native state, combined with water, though this is not a common mineral. The siliceous hydrate, or nemalite, is still rarer. The carbonate is far more common; it is found massive and opake, but never crystallized. The sulphate, or Epsom salt, is a well known medicine; but the greater part of that sold by chemists is otherwise obtained, or rather manufactured. In its natural state, its crystal is somewhat complicated; and it is more generally found in fibres or coatings. Besides these forms, magnesia occurs in small proportions in many spars, &c., which we have already noticed, especially under Silicon. The last metal on our list is Vanadium, called also Erythronium. It is found only in that rare mineral, called vanadiate of lead, first discovered in Mexico, but since found also in Scotland, though never well crystallized. It is of a yellow or brownish colour, and contains chlorite of lead, a little iron, and sometimes a portion of arsenic. Thus ends our list of the metals, and indeed of the mineral kingdom in general. I am only too sensible of the very deficient and scanty manner in which I have treated this most interesting subject. To those already acquainted with mineralogy, these very elementary papers can be of no service; and on the other hand, probably I may have failed to render them interesting to the class for whom they were written, the unlearned in such matters. If so, I can only apologize by saying that the dulness lies, not in the subject, but in the writer; and I will venture to affirm that if I had at my side, and before my real Cabinet, the most volatile young lady who has turned away from these pages in disgust, or the most somnolent dowager, who has yawned over them in weariness, I should have been able to make her eyes brighten, and her tongue flow, at the sight of those minerals which I have laboured (tediously, it may be,) to describe. If, however, I have led any one of my readers, (fair or otherwise) to investigate one of the most beautiful as well as useful among the many realms of nature, to find interesting objects among rocks and stones, and to discover Creative goodness in iron, sand and clay, then I shall be satisfied, and shall feel that not in vain did I pull out the drawers of my cabinet, and spend many hours, (and more sheets of paper,) in the attempt to describe the beauties and utilities of the mineral kingdom. X. Q. SEASONAL WILD FLOWERS.-No. V. "THE harvest is past, the summer is ended," and we in vain look for the abundant supply of new floral beauties which has greeted our observation during the preceding months. But we may very appropriately supply the want of novelty, by raising our hearts, in devout thanksgiving to the bounteous donor of summer blessings. The evening primrose (Ænothera Brinnis) naturalised from America, blooms in sandy soil during the present month. It has leaves between egg-shaped and lanceshaped, flat; stem rough, between two and three feet high, leaves alternate, flowers yellow in bright alternate clusters. Its name is derived from oinos, wine; and shera, catching; the root having the odour of wine. In moist pastures we meet with the Gentian (Gentiana) so named from Gentinus king of Illyria, who is said to have discovered antidotal properties that it possesses. Its calyx of one leaf is divided into four, sometimes into five acute angles; its corolla bell-shaped, five cleft, leaves linear. It was originally brought from the Alps; its corolla is deep blue with prominent greenish angles. Its colour is so intensely blue as to have excited much notice. Gerard, speaking of it, says: "The gallant flowers hereof, be of so beautiful a colour that it passeth the very blue itself.' "Flower, whence came thy dazzling hue? Upward, glancing to the sky, Straightway from the firmament, Was the sapphire brilliance sent!" The Vervain (Verbena Officinalis) which has blossomed since July, and which we have not yet noticed, may claim description here. It derives its name from the Celtic Farfaeu fer, to drive; and faeu, a stone; and is remarkable for growing in the near vicinity of human habitations; hence, amongst common people it has obtained the name of Simpler's joy. This plant is determined to be the Herba Sacra,' of the ancients, in honour of which, verbenalia were annually held. The vervain was devoted to sacred purposes, was offered between the Romans and their enemies as a pledge of mutual good faith, and was used by the Magi of the East, and the Druids of our own country and the continent, for sacrificial purposes. The dodder (Cuscuta) is parasitical, without leaves; it has white flowers, and a stalk which is slender like a thread, and would trail along the ground did it not cleave to some plant stronger than itself for support. Not content with support, it draws its entire nourishment from that around which it entwines, and at length, in gratitude, strangles its benefactor: it fastens on beans, nettles, hemp, clover, flax, &c., and feeds upon them by means of innumerable glands, which it inserts in the pores of its supporter's back. The grass of Parnassus (Parnassia Palustris) is one of the most beautiful and elegant of our native plants; it has a calyx of one leaf, fine egg-shaped petals longer than the calyx, with several longitudinal ribs; filaments awl-shaped spreading, anthus heart-shaped, flattened; capsule egg-shaped four-celled, with four receptacles the stem is about six inches high, angular and twisted. : There is a species of broom-rape (Arobanche Nemórosa) now flowering which is parasitical on the |