478 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



quet and Colin {Ann. de Chem. et de Phys., torn. iv. p. 326) ; they state, 

 that when amber is heated in a glass retort it softens, fuses, swells 

 up considerably and yields succinic acid, oil and combustible gases ; 

 as the production of the acid proceeds the swelling up diminishes, 

 and soon ceases altogether. If the fused matter be now examined, 

 it is found to possess an even fracture of a vitreous and resinous 

 aspect ; if, on the contrary, it be heated quickly, it boils rapidly with- 

 out swelling, and produces so large a quantity of oil that it flows in 

 small streams ; lastly, when the matter appears to be so completely 

 carbonized that it yields scarcely any oil, and the retort be then 

 heated till it softens, a yellow substance sublimes which has the con- 

 sistence of wax. 



If this waxy matter be treated with cold aether the micaceous matter 

 of MM. Robiquet and Colin is obtained, but if it be boiled in abso- 

 lute alcohol, taking care not to use enough to dissolve the whole 

 mass, it will be observed that the portion which does not dissolve is 

 of a much deeper yellow, less micaceous and more pulverulent than 

 the original substance ; it will also be seen that the first portions 

 which crystallize, either by the evaporation or cooling of the aether, 

 is of a much less intense yellow than the original matter ; lastly, by 

 the almost complete evaporation of the aether, a crystalline matter of 

 a still less deep colour is obtained. 



"When each of these three products is separately treated with al- 

 cohol they behave in the same manner; a very yellow substance 

 which does not dissolve, a less yellow substance which crystallizes 

 first, a still paler substance remaining in the mother-water. 



Eventually, however, after numerous experiments, the authors ob- 

 tained only two substances ; one in a very small quantity : this was 

 pulverulent, scarcely crystalline, of a fine yellow colour, insoluble in 

 cold alcohol, and scarcely soluble in it or aether when boiling ; the 

 other substance is white, in very fine flattened acicular crystals, more 

 soluble in alcohol and in aether. This last is the true peculiar cry- 

 stalline substance which constitutes the pyrogenous wax of amber ; 

 it is in quantity to the yellow matter insoluble in alcohol as 90 to 10. 



The authors then state, that by various modes of treatment with 

 alcohol of different strengths and aether, they obtained from heated 

 amber, — 1st, oil; 2ndly, yellow substance ; 3rdly, white crystalline 

 matter; 4thly, a brown bituminous matter, very soluble in alcohol, 

 and possessing the characters of the non-acid pyretin of Berzelius. 



Yellow substance. — The properties of this are that it is insoluble 

 in water, scarcely soluble in boiling alcohol or aether ; it is rather 

 pulverulent than crystalline ; requires a temperature of 464° Fahr. 

 to melt it ; it then volatilizes, and the greater part of it is decomposed. 

 When heated in nitric acid it is converted into a reddish yellow re- 

 sinous matter. Cold sulphuric acid has no sensible action upon it ; 

 when heated it dissolves it, acquiring a deep blue colour with a shade 

 of green. By analysis it yielded 



Hydrogen .... 5 '8 



Carbon 94-4 



100-2 



