Shooting Stars. 23 
occasioned by the contents of the mass absorbing moisture 
from the wet ground of the meadow, and thus becoming so 
much distended, that the tender membrane could not con- 
tain the whole substance. Around these fissures, the pellicle 
was so far crowded away or concealed by the gelatinous mass, 
that no traces of it could be seen, and here no appearance 
of organization could be distinguished. But, where the cov- 
ering was entire, the mass, though soft and glutinous, exhib- 
ited portions of a vermiform shape, of the size of a goose- 
quill or larger, the longest of which were extended about 
three-fourths of an inch. This vermiform conformation, 
through a slender interlacing network, presented smaller sub- 
divisions, and had throughout the appearance of a calf’s 
lungs. Upon the backside of this vermiform structure, there 
ore si 
of it, being lost in blackish points. The back part of the 
mass was pervaded by the vessel, which passed through it 
much in the same manner as do the vessels of the lungs. 
art of the mass being put into a dry place, it soon 
shrivelled, changing its white color to a brownish yellow, 
was very viscous, so as to draw out in threads like glue; at 
last, it dried ito a substance like horn. 
A portion of the original mass being put into a platina 
crucible, and exposed to a heat sufficient to burn it, at first 
swelled, then grew black, giving out an animal, empyreu- 
matic odor ; it left behind greyish white ashes, of one and 
two-tenths* of the weight of the substance, upon which wa- 
ter very slowly acted, though after some time it became 
weakly alkaline. The ashes were completely soluble in ni- 
tric acid, from which they were precipitated by ammonia. 
Twenty grains of the substance were dried in a water-bath 
heat. It was hard and brittle, and its weight was only four 
grains. Moistened with water, after a short time, it again 
resumed its former size and white color. Lo oviges 
One hundred grains were boiled in three ounces. of water. 
It swelled into a tremulous jelly, which thickened nearly all 
the water. The whole was then put upon a n, loos 
linen strainer, and after standing on it a few hours, a little 
liquid dropped from it, which became turbid by the addition 
*One tenth, and two tenths of one tenth are evidently meant. 
