346 Dr. GinelitCs Analysh of Petalite, [May, 



tion of litliia in a well-stopped phial, no change takes place at 

 first ; but after some hours, the lithia precipitates in the state of 

 a white powder. 



Lithia unites with sulphur, acco«-ding to Vauquelin. Sulpliuret 

 of lithia has a yellow colour, dissolves readily in water, and is 

 decomposed by acids in the same way as the other alkaline 

 sulphurets. 



Phosphorus decomposes water with the help of caustic lithia. 

 If we heat in a retort phosphorus with a solution of caustic hthia 

 in water, phosphuretted hydrogen gas is disengaged, which 

 catches fire when it comes into the air. I have not attempted 

 to form a solid combination of phosphorus and lithia. 



'Kentml Sulphate of Lithia forms small prismatic ciystals, 

 having a good deal of lustre, sometimes constituting pretty long, 

 but narrow tables. When exposed to the air, they only undergo 

 an insignificant efflorescence. This salt has asahne and scarcely 

 bitter taste. It dissolves pretty readily in water, and melts when 

 exposed to a temperature, scarcely reaching a red heat. 



BisuJphate of Lithia dissolves in water with greater facility 

 than the neutral salt. It forms six-sided tables, in which two of 

 the faces, which are parallel to each other, far exceed the 

 remaining ones in length. When exposed to a veiy high tem- 

 perature," it gives out sulphurous acid and oxygen gas, and is 

 converted into the neutral sulphate. 



According to Arfvedson, this bisalt dissolves with more diffi- 

 culty in water than the neutral salt. 



Fhoaphate of Lithia. — Phosphoric acid, when dropped into 

 the solution of sulphate of lithia, occasions no precipitate. But 

 when the uncombined acid is saturated by ammonia, the phos- 

 phate of lithia is precipitated in the state of white flocks, which 

 are insoluble in water. 



When a drop of phosphoric acid is let fidl into a very dilute 

 solution of carbonate of lithia, no precipitate falls ; but when the 

 liquid is heated, the carbonic acid gas is disengaged, and phos- 

 phate of lithia falls down. From this it would seem that the 

 solubility of phosphate of lithia ia water is owing to the presence 

 of the carbonic acid. 



There exists likewise a hiphosphate of lithia. It is obtained 

 bv dissolving the neutral salt in phosphoric acid. By a very 

 slow evaporation of this solution, we obtain transparent granular 

 crvstals. 



"Nitrate of lithia forms four-sided prisms with rhoraboidal 

 bases. It has a very pungent taste, and seems to me to 

 surpass almost all other salts in deliquescency. In a very hot 

 dav, it crystaUized in the sun; but dehquesced again in the 

 shade. It dissolves in the strongest alcohol. 



Carbonate of hthia constitutes a white powder. It dissolves 

 with orcat diihcuUy in cold water. According to Vauquelin, 100 

 parts of water bs:aicely dissolve one pm t of this salt. It is more 



