ftUSODILE, A NEW MINERAL* on* 



he formed of woody fibres, with large interstices between 



them; and the elasticity of this substance is probably 



owing to the flexibility and spring of these fibres, and the 



difficulty with which the included air can be driven out from 



the cavities. It should seem, that, if the fibres could be and would pro. 



rendered less flexible, and the spaces partly filled, the whole bably J? d ^„ 



r l stroyed bv fill- 



mass would become much less elastic. This may be tried ing its inter- 

 by experiments on a small scale. A slice of cork may be stices with 



. J some hard sub- 



l nmersed in any hot liquid, which becomes stiff or brittle stance. 



by cold, such as melted resin, or its solution in alcohol, or 

 glue, or gum water, or tallow, or starch, or varnish, or any 

 other material having the property first mentioned, and of 

 which the list is not very numerous. The cork should be 

 repeatedly compressed under the fluid, in order that it may 

 imbibe it, and the whole allowed to cool before the cork is 

 suffered to rise from the surface. Many trials of this sort 

 may be made in a short time over a candle in an iron spoon. 

 or in the small copper or iron vessels used for pastry ; and 

 when the result is thus obtained, the operator must contrive 

 and manage a larger apparatus according to his conve- 

 nience, and the intended purpose. 



W. N- 



XI. 



On the Dusodile, a new Species of Mineral; hy Mr, L. 



CORDIER*. 



JL HE new bituminous subftance, which I am about to A species of 



make known, was found in Sicily by Dolomieu. The spe- bitumen found 



J J r tn Sicily, 



cimens collected by that celebrated mineralogist arrived at 



Paris about ten years ago; and I then drew up a description 

 of it under his eye, but various circumstances had prevent- 

 ed me from publishing it. I shall now give it, adopting the 

 method of Haiiy. 



* Journal de Physique, vol. LXV1I, p. 277. 



