Professor Adams on the Theory of the Thermometer. 121 
precipitate of the carbonate of lithia. This mineral was 
discovered by Mr. Nuttall, during the last summer, in the 
town of Sterling, Massachusetts, on a farm belonging to Mr. 
Putnam. | tide? 
A short time after having examined the above mention- 
ed mineral, | discovered several specimens of the spodu- 
mene among a small collection of minerals from the vicin- 
ity of Conway, Mass. The specimens from this last men- 
tioned locality are ofa light green color, and beara strong 
resemblance to the spodumene of Sweden. I had pro- 
cured a quantity of lithia from this mineral, and had so far 
proceeded in a regular analysis, as to have obtained 65.3 
per cent of silex, and 24.5 of alumine, when an accident 
prevented me from proceeding with the analysis. But as 
the result obtained corresponded very nearly with the 
published analysis of spodumene, it was not thought ne- 
cessary to repeat the examination. 
Art. X.—Remarks on the theory of the construction of 
the Thermometer, by Rev. J. Apams, Professor of Mathe- 
matics and Natural Philosophy in Brown University, 
| Providence, Rhode Island.. | 
‘It is highly important, that the theory of the construction 
of an instrument, so extensively useful as the thermometer, 
should be well settled and well understood. It is used of- 
ten in physics and constantly in chemistry.; and to it we 
are indebted for the greatest part of our information on the 
interesting subject of heat. The astronomer consults it in 
his observations, in all cases, where refraction is an element. 
By it, we determine the mean temperature of the earth, 
and of the different climates upon its surface. Any effort 
therefore, towards establishing a correct theory of the con- 
struction of this instrument, it is believed, will be viewed by 
the public. with candour and indulgence. 
It is well known, that the greatest part of physical inquirers 
regard caloric as a material substance, to which they attribute 
several properties analagous to those which other material 
substances possess; such as elasticity, the power of enter- 
ing into combination with other substances. &c.. These 
properties they attribute to it on the ground of analogy ; 
Vou. VIIT.—No. 1. 16 
