[ 666 ] . 
breaking, the texture appeared partly compofed of 
tranfverfe fibres, and partly of grains the colour dull 
and purplifh. 
6. One part of platina and twelve of lead united, 
without lofs, into a compound very little different 
from the foregoing. On breaking, its texture was 
foinewhat finer, and compofed chiefly of fibres, with 
very few grains. 
7. A mixture of one part of platina and twenty- 
four of lead proved not very much harder than lead 
of a middling quality. The colour was ftill fome- 
what purplifh, and the texture fibrous ; but the fibres 
were remarkably finer than where the platina was in 
larger proportion. 
8. The foregoing compofitions, when newly po- 
lifhed, appeared in general of a dark iron colour ; 
which, upon expofure to the air, quickly tarnifhed to 
a brownifh yellow, a deep purplifh, and at length a 
blackifh. They all filed freely, without flicking in 
the teeth of the file, as lead does by itfelf. 
9. Upon returning thefe compounds to the fire a 
fecond time, it was conftantly obferved, that after 
they had come into perfect fufion, if the heat was 
flackened a little, great part of the platina fubfided : 
That neverthelefs, the lead decanted off, even in a 
heat below ignition, retained fo much of the platina, 
as rendered it of a fine fibrous texture, and purplifh 
colour. 
The feveral mixtures, covered with black flux, 
and kept in ftrong fufion, in crucibles clofelv luted, 
for eight hours, fuffered a diminution in weight, 
amounting to about one-thirtieth of the lead. On 
breaking, thofe with a large proportion of platina ap- 
