Electro-dejiosited Antimony. 45S 



grains, was placed under a bell-glass filled with water, and the 

 change induced in it by a blow ; a small quantity of chloride of 

 antimony separated, together with a minute quantity (less than 

 one-twentieth of a cubic inch) of gas : the water was then strongly 

 acidulated with hydrochloric acid, and allowed to rest five days ; 

 the gas still remained unabsorbed. 



5-i. By fusing well-washed specimens, either of the gray or 

 of the changed dark variety, perfectly free from lamina; or cre- 

 vices, in a porcelain crucible, no material alteration occurred in 

 them until at a temperature of inci])ient fusion ; they then swelled 

 to a large pasty mass, evolving volatile matter, and finally con- 

 tracted to a clear shining globule, covered with downy crystals 

 of oxide of antimony. Similar results were obtained by fusion 

 under tersulphide of antimony or cyanide of potassium, except 

 that in the latter case a minute quantity of black matter sepa- 

 rated, which I found by combustion, alone and with nitrate and 

 chlorate of potash, to be carbon. The metal, previously pow- 

 dered and placed under cyanide of potassium, agglutinated into 

 a pasty mass before fusion or evolution of vapour. Five speci- 

 mens of gray antimony, fused under the cyanide, lost respect- 

 ively 0-437," 0-618, 0-81, and 0-88 per cent, by weight. Two 

 thin specimens of amorphous antimony, previously changed 

 under water at 60'^ F., lost respectively, by fusion under cyanide 

 of potassium, 5-1 and 5-2 per cent. A moderately thin speci- 

 men, previously changed in air at 60° F., lost 3-3 per cent. ; a 

 thick one, similarly changed, lost 2-1 per cent.; a second ditto 

 lost 2-52 per cent. ; and three other specimens of changed anti- 

 mony lost respectively 3-484, 3-92, and 5-56 per cent. Two 

 specimens of antimony one-tenth of an inch thick, changed in 

 the air at 60'' F., and then fused under chloride of potassium, 

 lost each 7-0 per cent, by the fusion, while two other portions 

 of the same lost by fusion under cyanide of potassium 1 -86 and 

 2-1 per cent, respectively. Five pounds of the changed dark 

 metal, fused in an ordinary crucible, evolved much volatile mat- 

 ter at complete fusion. The antimony, fused under cyanide of 

 potassiun, and cooled slowly v.ithout disturbance, had strong 

 crystalline markings upon its upper surface, while that fused 

 under chloride of potassium had not, — probably because in the 

 latter case the salt solidified before the metal and confined its 

 surface. 



55. The combined loss of weight by the change, and by fusion 

 under cyanide of ])otassium, of three spcciuicns, was as follows : — 

 first specimen, a thin one, changed in air at 65°-0 F., lost 3-31 ; 

 by fusion, 2- 1*J ; total loss, 5-8 per cent. : second specimen, a 

 thin one, by change in air, 3-19; by fusion, 271 ; total loss, 

 5*9 per cent. : aud third specimen, deposited at the upper part 



