£24 



Its state. 



DtJ;ODILE, A NEW MINERAL. 



Essential cha- 

 racter. 



Physical 

 characters. 



Chemical 

 characters. 



The dusodile is in the compact state, and presents itsrlf 

 hi the form of irregular masses, which fall into very thin 

 leaves with great facility. The following are its character- 

 istics. 



It burns with an extremely strong and fetid bituminous 

 smell; leaving a considerable earthy residuum. 



Its specific gravity is 1*1 46. 



With respect to hardness, it is easily cut, and reduced into 

 thin and very fragile leaves. 



The leaves are a little flexible. 



Its colour is greenish gray. 



It is opake ; but the thin leaves become translue'id by 

 maceration in water. 



Its smell, when breathed upon, is argillaceous. 



It is weakly combustible with a clear flame, and an insup- 

 portable bituminous smell, resembling that elicited by fric- 

 tion from the mod fetid calcareous stones. This smell is so 

 strong, that we are not very sensibly affected by it till a few 

 instants after the combustion, that is to say, when the smoke 

 is completely diluted with the air. The burning of a very 

 small piece is sufficient to poison a room for more than an 

 hour. 



Combustion leaves a considerable earthy residuum, form- 

 ing more than a third of the original weight. 



By maceration in water its leaves separate of themfelves, 

 and become not only translucid, but perfectly flexible. 

 Distinguishing Dusodile is distinguishable from coal, by the latter being 

 characters. alvvays of a black colour, more dense, and not changed by 

 the action of water. From bitumens, whether solid or glu- 

 tinous, as these, when heated gently, or rubbed between the 

 fingers, emit a smell resembling that of pitch ; and when 

 burned leave scarcely any earthy residuum, and give out no 

 such smell as the dusodile. From the common elastic bi- 

 tumen, as this has naturally a very perceptible bituminous 

 smell, and is completely elastic; while the dusodile is in 

 very fragile leaves, and emits an argillaceous smell when 

 breathed on. The elastic bitumen too burns with leaving 

 scarcely any residuum, and emitting a smell that is 

 neither powerful nor diagreeable. From indurated elastic 



bitumen. 



