168 



THE MUSEUM. 



ly filled to the mouth with wax. The 

 veins of wax are from sixteen to nine- 

 teen inches thick. These layers render 

 the strata rather uncertain — that is, 

 they slip on each other. Great fires 

 have also occurred in the mines. At 

 Borislau, in Galacia, in 1864, the 

 mines produced 45,000 hundred weight 

 of earth wax. 



The paraffin is softer and less trans- 

 parent than that from brown coal tar, 

 and has a fusing point of 60 degr C, 

 although sometimes as low as 45 deg. 

 C. All ozocerite oils on purification 

 give a beautiful light yellow oil of 0.81 

 specific gravity, of great illuminating 

 power and with a weak, mild odor. 

 The lowest specific gravity of ozocerite 

 is o. 74, while the highest is only o. 828, 

 hence the oil has a low specific gravity 

 and a high boiling-point. Its infla'm- 

 mability is therefore less than that of 

 petroleum. The lightness of ozocerite 

 oil, together with its large paraffin con- 

 tent, contradict the general idea that 

 ozocerite is formed by the evaporation 

 of petroleum. ft must have been 

 formed in some other way, of which 

 we are still in doubt, perhaps, as Per- 

 utz states, by the oxidation of naph- 

 tha. 



Ozocerite seems to change slightly 

 by exposure to the air. A piece ex- 

 posed to the air for a year became ash 

 gray upon the upper surface, while on 

 the bottom it remained a blackish 

 brown. 



Very little has been made public 

 concerning improvements in making 

 paraffin from ozocerite, and manufac- 

 turers keep their experience as secret 

 as possible, In Vienna there are five 

 factories in which are made white wax, 

 wax candles, wax matches, yellow 

 beeswax and Qcolored tapers. In 

 Europe large quantities of ozocerite 

 are used to wax the floors of the 

 houses. 



In the United States the most im- 

 portant uses made of ozocerite are to 

 make chewing gum and to adulterate 

 beeswax. 



JAMES P. BABBITT, 



Wholesale and Retail Dealer in 



Taxidermists' Supplies, Bird 

 Skins, Eggs and Publications, 



TAUNTON, MASS. 



Our large monthly bulletin of Skins, Eggs, etc. free 

 upon application. 



The Ornithologist's and Oolo" 

 gist's Manual. 



Contains 100 pages, giving complete list of 

 all North American Birds, Prices of Eggs and 

 Skins, Number of E^'irs in a Clulch, Prices of 

 Mammal Skins, How t) Skin Birds and Mam- 

 mals, How to form :tn Egg Collection and 

 many other pages of mnful information. Pre- 

 paid for ten two-cen; stamps. 



Order at once. 



W-F. WEBB. Pub. 



Albion. N. Y 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. 



The handling of Scientific Books is exactly 

 in our line. In ye good olden times when a 

 book was wanted the customer picked up a 

 reliable dealer's cat Mlngue and ordered it at 

 list price. In these Uu»tliiig 1899 times he or- 

 ders where he can get it the cheapest. Our 

 facilities are unsurpassed. Our import ord- 

 ers are u.sually tilled in 15 to 20 days. Prompt 

 paying customers need advance no money 

 with us till good.<j are delivered. 



Let us figure on your wants. 



Walter F. \A^ebb, Mgr., Albion, N.Y. 



FOR SALE. 



Private Collection of North American Bird Skins 

 fit to mount. Some fine Skins. 



Lot No. I. 200 from 5c to 25c. Lot No. 1. 150 from 30c 

 to 50c. 300 Foreign Bird Skins from 5c to 50c. Enclose 

 Stamp for reply, with your want list. 



Address, 

 Brookdale Museum, ^Vest Newbury, Mass. 



OUR GEM COLLECTION 



