MURIATES AND CHLORIDES. 223 



taiued how much. When heated to redness in 

 a close vessel, they are converted into a dichloride 

 of copper, composed of 



1 atom chlorine . . 4'5 



2 atoms copper . . 8 



12-5 



In general, there is a slight excess of copper, 

 because a portion of the chlorine is driven ofr'and 

 during the process. By Berzelius' analysis, the 

 constituents were 



Chlorine . . 4-5 



Copper . . 8-316* 



Here the excess of copper was about aVth part 

 or nearly T ^th of an atom. I have formed this 

 chloride with a still smaller excess of copper than ' 

 Berzelius did ; but I never was able to get it ab- 

 solutely free from all excess of copper, owing to 

 the cause just specified. 



12. Muriate of nickel. This salt has- a fine Mu , Ia{oof 

 grass green colour, and crystallizes readily nickc! 

 enough ; but so irregularly, that I have not been 

 able to determine the shape of the crystals, 

 though they are prismatic, and I believe compos- 

 ed of four-sided prisms. They deliquesce when 

 exposed to the air; when heated, they readily 

 lose their water, and are converted into chloride 



* Ann. de Chim. LXXVIII. 118. 



