IlETINASPIIAI/r. ll;i 



had dissolved something which liad altered its former na- 

 ture, and it resembled now, in some measure, the caout- 

 chouc, heing somewhat clastic, whicli elasticity nevertheless 

 is again lost after some time. I then heated the alcohol to 

 l)oiling, for a quarter of an hour, and after cooling it, de- 

 canted it. In this state it exhibited a yellowish colour, not 

 quite as dark as that of madeiia wine. 



It was during these trials that I discovered that it contain- 

 ed two different substances ; as some of the fragments retain- 

 ed all tlicir lustre and were unaltered by the action of alco- 

 hol. These I found to resemble, in every case, the true 

 amber of the Baltic sea. 



To ascertain the true composition of the substances upori 

 whicli the alcohol acted, I digested 50 grammes in fme pow- 

 der, during five days, in pure alcohol, with moderate heat, 

 which gave a tincture of the colour mentioned above. This 

 operation was repeated till the alcohol ceased to act. 



All the spirituous solution, after being carefully decanted, 

 was subjected to a slow distillation, wliich gave a residuum ol 

 a brown resin, weighing 20.75 grammes. The residue, which 

 was insoluble in alcohol, was digested in boiling water, but 

 without sensil)Ie effect. After it was carefully collected and 

 dried, it weighed 28.25 grammes, it was of a dull ash grey 

 colour, and friable, melting into a black and brilliant mass. 

 When put on hot iron, it melted immediately, emitting much 

 smoke, and at last burnt witli a brilliant llaine. Its odour is 

 agreeable, approaching in the beginning somewhat that of 

 amber, but soon resembling that of asphalt. A solution of 

 pure potash dissolved upwards of one-fourth of it, w!)ich 

 was precipitated by muriatic acid, forming a brown resinous 

 prccij)itate. It was solul)!e by heat in fat oil, and had all 

 the qualities of asphalt. After burnins, it left (.75 grammes 

 of an earthy matter, soluble in sulphuric acid, an(l forming 

 octaedral crystals by the addition of potasli, leaving a small 

 residuum of brown uricrystallisaltle sulpliate of iron. So 

 that this earthy matter was alumine and oxide of iron. 



From these experiments, it appears, that this mineral is 



VOL. II. P 



