File:Astroites.jpg

English: A depiction of an astroites—presumably some form of fossilized sponge—from the figures decorating the margins of Moll's map of Northamptonshire, sold separately and as Map 25 in his Set of Fifty New and Correct Maps of England and Wales...

The illustration is a duplicate of Figure 9 in Table 2 of John Morton's 1712 Natural History of Northampton-shire, whose description reads "59. The Astroites or Starry Stone, is a Stone of as uncertain and indeterminate Shape as are any of the Balls or Nodules of the first and second Class: But has its Surface distinguish'd in a particular manner; it being adorned with Asterises or Star-like Figures, resembling those upon a Celestial Globe. Upon which Account it has the Name of Astroites: and is placed amongst the Stone of certain and regular Figures. There are three more noted general Varieties of it, with Respect of the Figure of its Stars: That with the Concave: That with the Plane: And that with the Convex Stars. Of each of these there are subordinate Varieties with Respect of the Figure: Or of the constituent Matter of the Stars: Or of some other observable Circumstances of them. In this they pretty nearly all agree, that the Stars they exhibit are compos'd of Rays or Striae, respecting one common Center: As also in this, that the Stars are set so close as to touch each other...

"61. The Astroides with the Plane: and that with the Convex, Stars, do not occur so frequently with us as do those with the Concave ones. The Stars of this last are prominent; the Striae descending from the Center at the Top. One of this sort with Stars consisting of crystaline Matter I have found at Irtingborough. They are generally less pellucid.: and of a coarser Matter. To these I am to add a new and hitherto undescribed Kind of Astroitae found in a Limestone Pit nigh Cortenhall. Its Surface is adorn'd with round radiated Holes, so exactly resembling those of some sorts of Starry Coral, and so well exhibited in Tab. 2. Fig. 9. that I need not describe them any farther. I shouldn have call'd this Stone a Coral, without any Scruple, did it not consist almost entirely of a Spar. Sometimes we meet with Sea-shells affix'd to the outside of an Astroites, as also enclosed in the Body of it."

Notes: London: Sold by H. Moll over-against Devereux-Court in the Strand; Tho. Bowles, Print and Map-Seller near the Chapter-House in St. Paul's Church-Yard, and J. Bowles Print and Map-Seller over-against Stocks-Market. 1724.