( 287 ) 



(ides of all thefe particles were parallel to each other, and the par- 

 ticles were very thick in proportion to their length. 



Moreover, by the help of fire I drew off the oil and fpirit from 

 Cantharides, but neither in the fpirit nor the oil could I dilcover any 

 faline particles. After this I mixed fome clear rain water with the 

 fpirit and oil, and fliaking them together, to promote the coagula- 

 tion of the falts, I fawmany laline particles, which at firll appeared 

 flat and thin, and rounded at the extremities, but the longeli fides 

 of them turned or rolled themfelves together, as is Ihewn at jig. 

 20, Y. 



After this, I faw various faline particles floating in the fame fpi- 

 rit and oil, of the fame fliape with the former but much fmaller, at 

 the fame time I faw fome faline particles of fix fides, but fo minute 

 that they almoft efcaped the fight. I likewife perceived a very great 

 quantity of particles, which I deemed to be lalts, but by reafon of 

 their extreme minutenef^ I could not, with all my attention, aflign 

 any particular figures to them. 



The caput mortuum or cinder left of the Cantharides, I alfo in- 

 fufed in clear rain water, in order to difcover the fixed lalts it might 

 contain ; and, after the water had ftood on it about two days, I fuf- 

 fered part of it to evaporate, and then I difcovered a great quantity 

 of faline particles, the fliapes of which I could not diftinguifli by 

 reafon of their minutenels. But when almoft all the water was eva- 

 porated, I faw a few faline particles of a regular fquare fliape and 

 exceeding thin, and among them a few whole fides rofe up in the 

 fliape of a pyramid, like our common fait, and alfov fome oblong 

 figures of four fides, fome of them exceedingly thin ; likewife fome 

 particles pointed at each end, as is fliewn at Jig. 21, Z, and fome . 

 of thefe lali: feemed, as it were, divided or notched at the other ex- 

 tremity, and with two points, as is reprefented at Jig. 22, a. 



The little moifture in which thefe very minute particles lay, eva- 

 porated on the leaft heat being applied, and then fome oblong and 



