as a Branch of Naturai History, ^^c, 247 



CLASSIFICATION. 

 CLASS h^METALLOPHANOUS CRYSTALS. 



{Chemical Nature. — Substances containing neither oxygen, nor fluorine, nor 



chlorine.) 

 Metallic appearance and lustre ; streak always metallic. Opake even in 

 the purest state. Conductors of electricity or anelectrics. 



Order I— NATIVE METALS. 



{Chem, JVa/.— Simple metals, sometimes mechanically mixed one with the 

 other.) 



Possessing the characters of the simple metals employed in the arts ; when 

 pure, not susceptible of decomposition, and indicating the presence of but a 

 single element. With the blowpipe infusible, or fusing without alteration, or 

 volatile without any residue. 



Family L — Malleable Metals. 



Capable of being flattened with the hammer, or cut by the knife into flexi- 

 ble laminae. 



Genera. — Platina (with ferriferous platina) ; gold (with argentiferous gold*) ; 

 silver (with auriferous silver) ; copper ; iron. 



{Appendix. — Palladium ; lead ?). 



Family 2. — Brittle Metals. 



Falling into fragments when struck by the hammer, and torn into hard 

 grains by the knife. 



Gen. — Bismuth ; antimony (with arseniferous antimony). 



{Appendix. — Tellurium ; arsenic). 



Appendix to the Order. — Metal liquid at the ordinary temperature. Quick- 

 silver. 



Order II.— ALLOYS. 



{Chem. Nat. — Combinations of simple metals with one another). 

 Capable of being decomposed either by fire or by acids into two metallic 

 elements, and in both cases leaving as residue a simple metal : with the blow- 

 pipe in the open tube affording no smell of sulphurous acid, and not turning 

 Brazil wood paper placed in the tube white. 



Family 1. — Argyrideous. 



Ductile ; not affording with the blowpipe either smoke, smell, or subli- 

 mate. 



Gen. — Electrum (Klaproth). 



Family 2. — Hydrargyrideous. 

 Brittle ; with the blowpipe in the open tube and in the matras affording a 



• Except Electrumj which has characters Indicating a true chemical combination; while the 

 common native gold, holding variable quantity of silver (Boussingault and MicheUotti), appears a 

 mere mechanical mixture. 



