^36 INFLAMMABLES. 77. Ambra, 



77. AMBRA. Floating on water, without luRre^ 

 opake, of a granular texture, foft like wax, and 

 flicking to the teeth ; highly fragrant, without 

 particular tafte, melting in the heat of boiling 

 water, burning eafily with a white flame and 

 grey fmoke and entirely confuming. 



maritimat A M b r a . 



Ambra grlfea. Cronfi. mtn.feB. 144. 

 Ambergrifc. SnujeMaur Philof. Tranf. 'voL 73. art* 1^. 

 Ambergris. Kirivan mineral. 2. p. 66. 

 Ambra. SchmeiJJ'er mineral. 1./.297. 



1. Of a grey colour, a little variegated. 

 Ambra grifea. Syft. nat, xii. 3. /. 107. n, i. 

 Ambra grifea. Rumph. muf. 262. t. 53, 54* 

 Ambra variegata. Wall. ly<t, 2. p. 118. 

 Bitumen fuaveplen?, Cartheuf. min^ 49, 



2. Of uniform blackifh-brown colour. 



' Ambra unicolor. Syfl, nat. xii. 3. p. 107. ». 2. 

 Ambra unicolor. Wall.Jyft, 2. p, 119. ». 2. 



Found chiefly on the fhores of the Molucca ijlands^ Sumatra, 

 Madagafcary Ethiopiay zx\^ Malabar: colour various (hades of 

 grey, yellowifh, brownifh and blackifh, with often dot?, 

 veins, fpots and lines of various colours : it breaks eafily but 

 cannot he reduced to powder : it melts like wax, and if 

 chewed flicks to the teeth like maftick : it is fomewhat foluble 

 in fpirits of wine with the alfiftance of heat : fpecific gravity 

 0.926, From the obfervations and conc'.ufions of Dr. 

 Sweditur, it appears beyond doubt, that this fubllance is 

 nothing niore than the excrements of the Phyfeter macroct- 

 phalus or Spermaceti Whale, as it is very frequently met with 

 in its inteftines, and moft commonly mixed with the beaks of 

 the Sepia oftopoda, which this whale is known to feed upon. 

 He obferves likcwife, that when taken out of the fifh's abdo- 

 men it is more impure, and has an linpleafant odour refem- 

 bling the other faeces of the animal, but that by expofure to 

 the air it becomes purer, of a lighter colour, morecompa^l, 

 j and gradually changes its odour to a grateful ambrofiacil 

 fmell. It is principally ufed as a perfume. 



