328 SULPHUR. 



Genus I.— -SULPHUR. 



Sou/ re ,Vr.- Solfo,lt.; Azufrc,S V .; Sckwefel, Cter.j .Sera, Rfc 



Sulphur is found in nature, nearly pure in the mineral kingdom; 

 and likewise in combination with various metals, forming some of 

 the most abundant and important metallic ores, as the sdphurets 

 of iron, copper, and lead. Sulphur is found most plentifully in or 

 near the craters of dormant volcanoes; it is also found lining the 

 cavities or fissures of lava, and sometimes, though rarely, in veins 

 traversing primitive and secondary rocks. Sulphur is divided by 

 some mineralogists into two sub-species or varieties; native and 

 volcanic. 



1. Native Sulphur. Pl. XLIV. fig. 3.-Naturlischer 

 Schwefel, Werner.— The colour is various shades of yellow, 

 sometimes reddish, or tinged with green. It occurs massive,' 

 disseminated, investing other minerals, and crystallized in acute 

 double six-sided pyramids. Its lustre is glistening and resinous; 

 it is opaque or translucent. It is brittle and easily frangible. It 

 becomes negatively electric by friction. Its specific gravity is 

 about two. It burns with a lambent blue flame, and suffocating 

 odour. It occurs in considerable abundance in primitive and 

 secondary mountains, either pure, or in a state of combination with 

 the metals. It is also met with in alluvial districts, deposited in 

 crusts on the surface of the soil, particularly near sulphureous 

 springs. 



2. Volcanic Sulphur. — Vulcanischer Naturlicher Schwe- 

 fel, Werner.— hs colour is pale-sulphur yellow. It occurs 

 massive, stalactitic, vesicular, investing, and in small pyramidal 

 chrystals. In other characters it agrees with the preceding sub- 

 species. It is found only in volcanic countries, and is much "purer 

 than the sulphur obtained by sublimation from pyrites, which 

 always contains a portion of arsenic, or other metallic 'matter. 

 Solfaterra, near Naples, and Sicily, are the principal repositories of 

 volcanic sulphur in Europe, where it is collected in considerable 

 quantities for the purposes of commerce. Sulphur sublimes at 

 600°, and condenses into the form of a line powder, which, from 



