e/" njarious refractory Bodies. SS5 



Perhaps then we fiiall be juftified in faying, in fu- 

 ture, that the primitive earths are fufible bodies, al- 

 though not fulible in furnaces, in the folar focus, nor, 

 {vviththe^exception of alumine, and poffibly, barytes,) 

 even by a ftream of oxygen gas directed upon burn- 

 ing charcoal. 



Platinum — was not only melted but volatized with 

 ftrong ebullition. 



Various Minerals. 



Rock Crystal, — tranfparent and colourlefs. This mi- 

 neral was inftantly melted into a beautiful white 

 glafs. " It not only does not melt in the focus of 

 the mof} powerful burning mirror, but, it remains 

 without fulion, at leaft when in the ftate of Rock 

 Cryftal, in the ftill more intenfe heat, excited by a 

 ftream of oxigen gas directed on burning charcoal.'' 

 (Murray II. 261.) " It is even imperfectly foftened 

 by the intenfe heat, excited by a ftream of oxigen 

 gas, dired:ed on the flame." (of the blow pipe lamp.) 

 —(Ibid III. 513.) 



Common Quartz — fufed immediately into a vitreous 

 globule. 



Gun FLiNT-melted with equal rapidity ; it firfl became, 

 white, and the fulion was attended with ebullition 

 and a feparation of numerous fmall ignited globules 

 which feemed to burn away as they rolled out of the 

 current of flame ; the product of this fufion was a 

 beautiful fplendid enamel.—" It is infufible before the 

 blow pipe but lofes its colour.'' — (Ibid. 5 1 8.) 



Chalcedony — melted rapidly, and gave a beautiful 

 bluiih white enamel refembling opal. " It is infufi- 

 blebefore the blow pipe." — (Ibid. 516.) 



Oriental Carnelian— fufed with ebullition, and pro- 

 duced a femitransparent white globule with a line luf- 

 tre. 



R.ED Jasper— from the Grampians, was slowly fufed 

 with a flu 2:2:1 ih efiervefence, it 2:ave a crrevifli black 

 flag, with white fpots. 



