Magnetic Characters of Metals, §r. 91 



all, that metal was in a less proportion than a 20,000th 

 part of the mass, which proportion, in a state of peroxide, 

 and divided, as it necessarily must have been, through the 

 whole alloy, would scarcely yield the slightest perceptible 

 magnetic action. Moreover, if iron to that amount were 

 even pure or uncombined, its quantity was far too small for 

 the display of those high magnetic powers of which it was 

 obviously possessed. And as there is a probability at least, 

 that the magnetic powers of iron become deteriorated by an 

 alloy of that metal with silver or with copper or both, there 

 is not the slightest reason for supposing that the magnetism 

 of the alloy in question (32) was due to any iron that it could 

 possibly contain. Nor do I believe that the magnetic actions 

 displayed by the coinage are traceable to the presence of iron. 



63. It has already been stated (42) that the magnetic action 

 of nickel is considerably neutralized when combined with zinc 

 and copper in the alloy constituting German silver. Since 

 that part of this memoir was read before this Society, I have 

 had an opportunity of alloying nickel with zinc alone, and have 

 ascertained that when the zinc is about eight or ten times the 

 quantity of nickel, the alloy is perfectly neutral to the magnet. 

 This alloy has a zinc-coloured fracture, and partially crystal- 

 lized in the manner of zinc ; but it is extremely brittle and 

 easily pulverized in a mortar. 



64. Nickel and antimony combine with facility, and in an 

 extraordinary manner. If two pieces of the metals, one of 

 each, be placed side by side in the crucible, so as to touch 

 one another, especially at their upper ends, the moment the 

 antimony assumes a dull red heat, even a lower heat than 

 that which commences its fusion when alone, the nickel 

 bursts out into a fine scarlet glow, fuses and spreads over the 

 antimony in a beautiful fluid state, and insinuates itself into 

 the pores of that metal, rendering the whole mass soft like 

 paste or butter. If, whilst in this state, the crucible be re- 

 moved from the fire and permitted to cool gradually, the frac- 

 ture of the button of this alloy, when broken, is of a much 

 lighter colour than that of antimony. It is of a light grey, 

 and very imperfectly crystallized. It is not so brittle as 



