found in Urpeth Colliery, near Newcastle. 395 



Hatchetine, and having much resemblance to the fossil wax of Moldavia, 

 in a coal mine in this neighbourhood, where no doubt could exist as to its 

 origin, has afforded me an opportunity of adding to our knowledge of this 

 class of mineral compounds, while its seems to indicate pretty clearly their 

 common organic origin wherever they may occur. 



In driving through a trouble in Urpeth Colliery, at a depth of about 60 

 fathoms from the surface, this ■ substance was found in cavities near the 

 sides of the trouble, and sometimes in the solid sandstone rock ; it occur- 

 red in considerable quantity, and was sufficiently soft to be made up into 

 balls by the workmen. 



The specimen sent to me by my friend Mr. Hutton, of Newcastle, is 

 soft, unctuous, sticking to the fingers, and giving a greasy brown stain to 

 paper ; semi-transparent ; by transmitted light, of a brownish yellow co- 

 lour ; by reflected light, yellowish green and opalescent ; having a slight 

 fatty odour, more perceptible when the substance is melted. It fuses at 

 140° F., attains its greatest fluidity at about 160°, and begins to boil at 250°. 

 It distills without apparent decomposition, the colourless oil which passes 

 over concreting as it cools into a colourless unctuous mass. As it distills, 

 however, the boiling point of the residue rises very considerably, and it 

 becomes darker coloured. Boiled in a retort with water, it is also volatilized 

 in small quantity, and floats like wax on the water which collects in the 

 receiver. Heated over a lamp in a platinum spoon, it takes fire and burns 

 with a pale blue, surmounted by a white flame, having little smoke, and 

 leaving no residue. 



It undergoes no apparent change when boiled in concentrated nitric, 

 muriatic, or sulphuric acids. Alcohol, even absolute and boiling, dissolves 

 it very sparingly. The solution is rendered milky by water ; and by spon- 

 taneous evaporation, deposits the dissolved portion in white flocks. Ether, 

 in the cold, dissolves about four-fifths of the whole, giving a solution which, 

 like the substance itself, is brown by transmitted light, and by reflected 

 light exhibits the greenish opalescence, observable in the Ozocerite of Mol- 

 davia. The solution by spontaneous evaporation, deposits the dissolved por- 

 tion in brown flocks, which, at 102° F., melt into a yellow brown liquid. 

 The mass, on cooling, presents the external characters of the original sub- 

 stance, but has less consistence and density. Its specific gravity is - 885, 



