( 130 ) 



much fmaller than the preceding ones, but for the mod part of the 

 fame fliape. 



I placed the glafs to which thefe particles adhered in my clolet, 

 to fee whether the particles, when the weather was rainy and the 

 air damp, N\ould not ditlblve into a thin and pellucid liquor, and after 

 twenty-fix hours had clapfed, I faw their figures were all changed, 

 for they \\ere not only become fhorter but afllinied an irregular 

 Ihape, nor did I fee any faline particle which was not fiirrounded 

 with fome tranfparent liquor, and the oil itfelf was become thin and 

 fluid. 



After a few days I again infpedled the glafs, and then I faw all 

 "the faline figures changed into a thin tranfparent liquid, mixed with 

 many fmall irregular and round particles. 



But what appeared principally worthy of notice in thefe my ob- 

 fervations was, that among fo many faline particles there appeared 

 none of the fliape of our common fait, that is to fay, four-fijuare, 

 or whofe bafls was four-fquarc. 



Upon the burnt afhes or caput mortmnn of this calcareous mat- 

 ter, I poured fome fair rain water, that if there were any fixed fait 

 in the aflics, it might be mixed with the water ; and ha^-ing \\'ell 

 ilirrcd the whole together, and left them to fi:and until the water 

 became clear, I then took a little of the water and expofed it in 

 my ftudy to the air, which was then damp, and foon after I faw 

 in it a great number of thin flat faline particles of various fizes, 

 which, for the in oil part, were of the ihnpe reprefented at Jig. 

 \0, DEF. 



I twice touched this water with my tongue, and was furprifed 

 at the great faltnefs which fo fmail a portion of the aflies had im- 

 parted to the water : but the taste of this fait was not like that of 

 common fait, this being very aftringent. I five or fix times 

 breathed on this fixed fait, and then I perceived mofl: of the faline 

 particles become liquid, but as foon as the moifiure of my breath 

 was evaporated, they again concreted in irregular figures. 



