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XXXVII. Some Obfervations relating to the 
Lyncurium of the Ancients \ by William 
Watfon, M. D. F. R. S. 
Kead Dec. 2o,/~'jr"^o determine the fubftance, deno- 
minated Lyncurium by the ancients, 
has been the occafton of much controverfy among 
the more modern naturalifts ; fome of whom, as 
late Dr. Woodward , believed it to be a lpecies of the 
belemnites ; others, as the late * M. Geoffrey , conli- 
dered it as amber. But it is evident from Lheopkraf- 
tus’s defcription of the Lyncurium , which is the mod: 
complete that has been handed down to us, that nei- 
ther the one nor the other of the before-mentioned 
fubftances could be what he intended. His words 
are, Kai to A vyxvpiov. Xj yocp Sjc t«t 8 yAveps'lcti t cc 
< r(ppa.yi£ icc. xt c^epeolaTri, y,d.Qoc7rep AiG<^. tAxei yelp 
CCTTTS^ TO riAZKiQQV. 01 d i (pCCCTlV a JJCQVOV XCCp(pn Xj C,vAov, 
ctAAce Xj %ccAxqv Xj aiS'vpov, toev 77 AS7 nos. denrep y 
AioxAvs tAsyev. 'Eti S's dia,(pccvri t£ apodpcc xj 'uruopet. 
. . . . ylvzloci de Xj xcclepq-cccrict r is auln tctA eioov. from 
hence we learn, that u the Lyncurium was a done 
“ ufed for engraving feals on: that it was very hard: 
“ that it was endowed with an attracting power like 
“ amber : and that it was faid, and by Diocles 
“ among the reft, to attract not only draws and 
<c fmall pieces of wood, but alfo copper and iron, if 
beaten very thin : that it was pellucid, and of a 
* Mater. Med. Vol. I. p. 165. de fuccino, 
Idem et Lyncurium quoque dicitur. 
t Theophraftus 7rsf< tuv hiQw, 
11 deep- 
