Analysis of Avil-ergris. 89 



distance by the smell, they go in search of it in ord«r to 

 eat it. 



There can be no doubt that ambergris is an animal pro- 

 duction. Several substances approach very near to it m 

 smell, such as the excrements of some of the mammalia, 

 and particularly those of oxen and pigs. I found that cows' 

 dune: dried in the sun has an odour very analogous to am- 

 bergTis, and even to musk ; and hence the name of indige- 

 nous musk given in some countries to this substance pre- 

 pared in this manner. 



Ambergris {amhrea grisea) is a light substance which 

 floats on the water, solid, opakc, of an ash colour, veined 

 with white and yellowish-brown, slightly odoriferous, but 

 the odour of which develops itself as it grows old, or when 

 it is mixed with musk or other aromatous substances, as it 

 is prepared for perfumes or smelling waters. 



Good ambergris in its natural "state may be known if 

 when scraped with the blade of a knife it adheres to the 

 knife like wax, if it retains the impression of the nails and 

 that of the teeth, and if, when pricked with a hot needle, 

 it emits a fat odoriferous juice. Though solid, and in ge- 

 neral brittle, it is not sufliciently hard to bear polishing, but 

 rubbed w ith the nail it becomes smooth like hard soap. 



Gtoffroy, Neumann, Grim, and Brow, have classed am- 

 bergris among the bitumens. The analysis made of it by 

 chemists is not sufficient to determine the nature of this 

 substance. Ambergris hises in the fire, says Geoflroy, into a 

 resin of a vellow or gold colour; when applied to a flame it 

 kindles and burns ; 'spirit of wine does not dissolve it en- 

 tirely, there remains a black matter like pitch on which it 

 has no action. When dissolved it leaves some time after 

 a white nebulous sediment, which gradually coagulates and 

 becomes thicker and thicker; this coagidum being dried 

 changes into a brilliant foliated earth, and which is not 

 diii'erent from spermaceti. 



In distillation, according to the same chemist, ambergris 

 gives first an insipid phlegm, then an acid liquor or spirit, 

 and a highly odorous yellow oil, with some portion of acid 

 and volatile dirty salt : in the last place there remains at 

 the bottom of the retort a brilliant, black, and bituminous 

 matter. It is here seen that this analysis, which does not 

 differ from that given by all chemists, dcsen'cs to be re- 

 tixnmined in order to give us correct ideas respecting the 

 nature of this singular substance. 



I think it my duty to acquaint those who may be desirous 



of repeating these experiments^ to be very careful in tlieit 



J choice 



