M Extrad from the third Volume of 



and nebulous : the crystals cvtn are not entirely diMoJred' at 

 the end of some davs. 



5th. In concentrated sulphuric acid, fraimeuts of mililite 

 do not fall to the bottom but float at the surface. They arc 

 gradually converted into white flakes, without giving clear 

 solutions : this, however, takes place when the acid is di- 

 luted with water. 



6th. Acetic acid exercises no action onmclilite,. 

 7th. Solution of caustic soda converted fragments of this. 

 fossil into white fl'akes, and dissolved them almost entirely. 

 8th. Solution of caustic ammonia changed them also at 

 length into white flakes, but v/ithout dissolving them. . 



Meliiite thrown on, saltpetre in a state of fusion, pro- 

 duced no real detonation. The morsels of this fossil burn 

 merely with a faint and transient light, and become mixed 

 with the fused saltpetre under the form of a white earth. 



M. Klaproth tl>€n analyzed them in the dry and in the 

 moist way. 



Jst. Fifty grains of pulverized meliiite, mixed with 7-5 

 grains of crystallized carbonate of soda, were boiled in a phial 

 with a surticient quantity of water. There was a reciprocal 

 action between these two substances, with a disengagement 

 af the carbonic acid of the soda. After the decomposition 

 of the meliiite efiected by the soda, the earthy part deposited 

 on the filter, when washed and dried, weighed 8+ grains, 

 and was found to be aluniine. 



The soda in solution was in a great measure neutralized : 

 jMr. Klaproth completed the saturation of it with acetous 

 acid, and evaporated the liquor gently to dryness. The 

 acetitc of soda thence rcsultiag was separated from the 

 saline mass by small quantities of alcohol poured over it 

 at several times. The residuum was then dissolved in water, 

 from which were precipitated crystals of a neutral salt, the 

 acid of which had consequently been furnished by the me- 

 hlite. 



It results from this analysis that meUlite is composed of 

 alumine and an acid. 



2d. riftv arains of pulverized meliiite put into a stopped 

 flask, containing a coid solution of caustic ammonia, and 

 frequently stirredj were decomposed j and twenty-four hour» 

 after the bottom of the glass was Imed with a multitude 

 of sjnall crystals ol" a neutral salt, formed by the acid of 

 the meliiite and ammonia : they were covered with a slight 

 brown stratum of aluniine, arising from the dccompositioii 

 of tlwit fossil. The liquor was heate-d, and diluted with a 



iiufficicat 



