ANALYSIS OF AMBERGRIS. 13| 



and a very odoriferous yellow oil, with a fmall portion of s 



volatile acidofaline fait ; and laftly, a (bining black bituminous 



fubftance remains at the bottom of the retort. Hence we ThUanalyfis in- 



fee this analyfis, which does not differ from thofe related by Sufficient. 



all other chemifts, requires to be revifed, in order to give us 



determinate ideas of the nature of this lingular fubftance. 



It is perhaps neceffary to apprife tliofe, who wiOi to repeat Neceflary to be 



thefe experiments, that they fhould pay great attention to the ^J^'^y ^^""^ ("] '" 



choice of the ambergris. Many varieties are found in the Many varletie* 



ftiops. the different kinds of which are diftinguiftied by their 0^'^'"^^^*°?' 



price. No doubt this fubftance is fabricated, as caftor is 



in forHe parts of Germany. Bayen affured me, that he had Fabricated by 



feen it made at Frankfort; and it is well known that this ^^^> ^i^"!^" 

 /■ , /• , -or , I , , , • faw at Frankfort 



rather of chemiftry law clearly, and that Ins memory was not apt 



to deceive him; and, what is very rare among travellers, that 



he never told a lie. 



I have examined feveral fpecimens of the ambergris of the Differences of 

 fliops : fome varied in fpecific gravity, were more or lefs deep thefe varieties. 

 in colour, had very little fmell, and were flexible ; others were 

 of an aftien gray colour, and tolerably hard ; and fome were 

 almoft ftony, fcarcely at all foluble in alcohol, and void of 

 fmell. 



The ambergris I analyfed was not purchafed from the fliops; 

 and, on comparing it with that in the cabinet of the Mufeum, 

 I could find no difference, either in colour or in fmell. 



Phyfical Properties. 



It is of an aflien gray colour, internally variegated with a Its colour, Cnell, 

 few yellow ftreaks, of a fweet and pleafing fmell, foftening texture, 

 between the fingers ; when reduced to a fine powder it is of 

 a deeper colour ; pounded in a glafs mortar it agglutinates, 

 and adheres to the peftle. 



■ Of a flat and almoft infipid tafte, exhibiting the fame ap- tafte, 

 pearances as wax when chewed between the teeth. 



Its fpecific gravity is to that of water as 844 or 849 to fpecific gravity. 

 1000. 



According to Briffon, the fpecific gravity of ambergris is 

 9263 ; the weight of the French cubic inch, 4 gros 58 grs.; that 

 of the cubic foot, 64 lbs. 14oz. 3gr. 47 grs. » 



* The fpecimens of ambergris, on which Briflbn made his ex- 

 periments, were taken from the king's colk^lion. 



The 



