METALS AND MINERAI3 167 



After these lessons, aluminum, nickel, platinum, silver and 

 gold may be taken up and examined in the same way, 



Some of the more rarely seen and interesting metals can 

 easily be obtained, such as antimony, and bismuth, beautifully 

 crystalizing, easily melting; mercury, a liquid even at low 

 temperatures; sodium and potassium, which are lighter than, 

 water, and burn when they touch ice or water; magnesium, 

 a thin strip of which will burn in air with a most brilliant 

 light when lighted with a match. 



Space will not allow the detailed directions for the numerous 

 lessons that may be made with all of these metals. The obtaining 

 the metals (easily accomplished), consultation of encyclopedias 

 and works on chemistry for further facts in regard to them, and 

 experimentation with them, and some ingenuity on the part of 

 the teacher, will supply the details which will make this series 

 sufficient in amount and interest, to extend, with the intervals of 

 other subjects, thru some years. 



In this connection are to be examined some of the more 

 common alloys, such as brass, type metal, solder, gun metal, 

 bell metal. 



The sources mentioned above will also give information in 

 regard to the composition and uses of these alloys. 



Minerals make a most interesting and profitable field for 

 nature study. A knowledge of the common rocks of the neigh- 

 borhood and their constituent minerals would give the teacher a 

 very rich source of material. 



