186 FLINT GENUS. Geographic Situation. No country affords finer agates, or in greater abundance than Germany : It would be ufelefs to mention all its German localities; it is fuflicient to obferve, that it is found in great quantity at Ober- ftein, where feveral thoufand pcrfons are employed in quarrying, forting, cutting and polilhing it. It is alfo found in France, England, Scotland, and Ireland, and very beautiful in the Eaft Indies, where, however, it is confounded with onyx. Ufe, Its ufes are very various; fometimes it is cut into vafes, mortars, fnuft boxes, fometimes into plates for inlaying in tables; when it is very handfome it * s ufed for leal ftones, and then it is ufually fet with a blue or gold foil; and the fmaller pieces are ufed for gun flints, for which it is often excellently fuiteJ. It was highly valued by the ancients, who execut ed many fine works in it, which are now never at tempted. It is only in the cabinets of the rich that J'uch pieces of ancient work are to be feen; thecol- ledliqns of Brunfwick and Drefdenar remarkable for beautiful fpecimens of this kind. TWENTY-
