SCIENTIFIC NEWS. |43 



folution takes place, the whole is fuffered to cool, and the 

 folution of copal is decanted from the iindiflTolved part. The 

 ▼arnifh has no more colour than the copal itfelf. 



Large Piece of Amber *. 

 A PIECE of amber weighing 13lb. 7oz. 9fcr. and meafur- Large fpecimea 

 ing 318| cubic inches, has lately been found at Schlapacken, 

 near Gumbinnen and Inflerburg in Germany, which is the 

 largeft mafs of amber hitherto found. Its colour is a pale 

 yellow, interfered with feveral lines. Its value is eftimated 

 at about 40,000 dollars. 



Fluoric Ether f . 



l5oz. Prevloufly ignited and pulverized fluate of lime, 

 were introduced into a retort containing lOoz. of highly 

 redtified alcohol, and an equal quantity of fulphuric acid of 

 1,860 fpec. grav. and the mixture diftilled to drynefs. During 

 the diftillation, a large quantity of gas was evolved, which 

 burnt with a beautiful blue flame, and diffufed an odour 

 refembling phofphorated hydrogen. During the combuftion 

 of this gas, vapours of fluoric acid were precipitated. The 

 produdt which had been obtained during the diftillation was 

 again diftilled to one half, and the produ6l which pafled over, 

 was poured into a vial containing water. No heat was pro- 

 duced, nor did the two fluids mis. It was therefore ether. 

 But as its tafte was four, I added to it a folution of potafli ; 

 this inflantly feparated a confiderable quantity of (ilex, and 

 the whole became converted into a gelatinous mafs. The 

 whole mafs, on being again diftilled, yielded pure fluoric 

 ether. It greatly refembled fulphuric ether ; its fpecific 

 gravity was 0,720; it burnt with a blue flame; its tafte was 

 bitter, and greatly refembling bitter almonds. 



New Method of preparing Nitric Ether. By Brugnatelli \. Nltriccthcr. 



INTRODUCE into a tubulated retort, one ounce of fugar, 

 and pour over it two ounces of highly concentrated alcohol. 

 JVdapt to the retort a capacious receiver furrounded with 



# Ibid< t Ibid, J Ibid. 



cloth 



