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well as the transparency of amber. It exists in a piece of lime- 

 stone, to which it adheres very closely. Its transparency is almost 

 that of the clearest amber, and the colour, which is most generally 

 diffused through it, is of a deepish yellow, just such as would be 

 conceived from the term amber-yellow, being tinged also in dif- 

 ferent parts with a brownish red. Its degree of softness is such, 

 that it yields to the slightest pressure, recovering itself, however, 

 on the removal of the pressure, with such a degree of elasticity, 

 as undoubtedly authorizes the placing it among the elastic bi- 

 tumens. 



The elastic bitumens, as we learn by the valuable observations of 

 Mr. Hatchett, may, by being melted, be deprived of their elasticity, 

 and thus might the specimen here alluded to be reduced to the 

 more common state of bitumens ; and probably, by a well-managed 

 inspissation, might be made to assume a solid form, without its 

 transparency or colour being at all thereby impaired. In this 

 state, it would probably become attractive by friction ; which 

 property, taken in conjunction with its colour and transparency, 

 would necessarily render its resemblance to amber very close. 



By what has been here said, I do not intend to imply that 

 such a substance would be actually amber ; since, perhaps, the 

 formation of amber may depend on peculiar circumstances at- 

 tendant on its inspissation ; and most particularly on some pecu- 

 liar modification of the oxygen contained in the bitumen from 

 which it may proceed. 



Within these few years a substance has been found among the 

 bituminous wood of Thuringia, which has been named, from its 

 colour, HONEY-STONE (honigstein) by Mr. Werner, and MELLITE 

 by other naturalists. It is of rather a dark honey colour, and, from 

 its resembling amber also in colour, it has been thought to be that 

 substance in another form. It is usually crystallized in small octa- 

 hedra, the angles of which are frequently truncated, and some- 



