58 PHYSIOGRAPHY. CLASS III. 



Cleavage none. Fracture conchoidal. Surface un- 

 even and rough. 



Lustre resinous. Colour yellow prevalent, passing 

 into red, brown, and white. Streak white. Trans- 

 parent . . . translucent. 



Not very brittle. Hardness = 2-0 ... 2-5. Sp. 

 Gr. = 1-081, a honey-yellow variety. Resinous 

 electricity produced by friction. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



1. Two subspecies have been distinguished in Amber, ac- 

 cording to their lustre and transparency. Yellow Amber 

 contains yellow and red varieties, possessing the highest 

 degrees of transparency to be met with in the species, 

 while white Amber refers to white and pale yellow faintly 

 translucent varieties. Often, however, both kinds are join- 

 ed in one and the same specimen, and pass insensibly into 

 each other, which demonstrates their identity. 



2. According to DRAPPIER, it consists of 



Carbon 80-59. 



Hydrogen 7-31. 



Oxygen G-73. 



Lime 1-54. 



Alumina 1-10. 



Silica 063. 



It burns with a yellow flame, giving out an agreeable odour, 

 and leaves a carbonaceous residue. It is soluble in alcohol. 



3. The yellow Mineral-resin no doubt derives its origin 

 from the vegetable kingdom. This receives an additional 

 evidence by the insects and other organic bodies which it 

 includes. It is found in beds of bituminous wood, from 

 which it is disengaged by the action of the waves on the 

 sea coast, and then thrown out or taken with nets. 



4. The greatest quantity of the present species is obtain- 

 ed on the Prussian coasts of the Baltic, also on the coasts 

 of Courland, Livonia, romerania, and Denmark. But it 



