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102
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DE NATURA FOSSILIUΜ
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over.
It is found in the vicinity of Brunon associated with bitumen; near
Stettin, Pomerania; near Marienberg, Prussia; on the banks of the
Vistula river; near Hoching in the district of the Suebi not far from
the Alps. Belemnites from Hildesheim is either gray, whitish or
dark red. That found in Prussia is the color of Falernian amber. At
first the material which was almost always transparent and similar to
amber was the only variety called "lynx-stone" by our physicans but
later the name was given to non-transparent belemnites of other
colors. When burnt it becomes white or grayish white. Each variety is
found between Hildesheim and Marien-burg on the left hand wall of a
limestone cave named for dwarfs. This locality has every appearance of
having been burnt except for the odor of the stone. A golden armatura not only covers the outside of the material found in the east moat of Hildesheim but also the enclosing rock. This armatura has a natural high luster and reflects an image like a window glass. When rubbed belemnites gives
off an odor similar to that produced by polishing or burning the horn
of an ox. The material found in the marbles of Hildesheim has this odor
while that from other localities has no odor. It varies in size, the
largest being three-quarters of an inch long as a rule although that
found in the north moat of Hildesheim is six inches long and as thick
as the arm. It always has the form of an arrow, a broad base which
tapers to a very sharp point. It has a natural fissure and as a result
is split with ease along the length. The variation in transparency is
striking and it is sometimes covered with a golden arma-tvra on
the inside. It may contain earth, sand or stone which is itself in the
form of an acute cone. The rock that contains the material with the
golden armatura occurs in beds that resemble certain membranes when first stretched and then more and more drawn together.31
Since it dries the physicians of Prussia and Pomerania use it to heal
wounds while both they and the physicans of Saxony use it the same as lapis judaicus to remove stones.
Just as belemnites contains earth, sand and stone, gaeodes (chalcedony geode) enclose earth, aetites (geode and concretion) stone and sand, and enhydros (enhydros)
liquid. However these latter differ in form. All of them are commonly
formed into a ball that resembles the earth. Sometimes they are
perfect, sometimes compressed. Pliny classifies some under aetites, certainly any that enclose earth, and describes others separately calling them gaeodes. Dioscorides distinguishes gaeodes from aetites since the former contains an earth, hence the name,32 the latter, stone. Actually they are closely related since they consist of the same material and like belemnites contain
different things since they both originate in almost the same places.
They occur in Hildesheim, Saxony; in the mountains of
31 Thin bedded calcareous shale.
32 From the Greek yij elSos, earthlike.
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