* ; 6S Mr. hutchins’s Experiments for afeer tabling 
Experiment X. made January 26, 1782. 
Quickfilver frozen by the natural cold in Hudfoiis Bay . 
The fubjedt of this curious phenomenon was quickfilver put 
into a common two-ounce phial, and corked. The phial was 
about a third part full, and had been conflantly {landing by the 
thermometer for a month paid. At eight o’clock this morning 
1 obferved it was frozen rather more than a quarter of an inch 
thick round the fides and bottom of the phial, the middle part 
continuing fluid. As this was a certain method to find the 
point of congelation, I introduced the mercurial thermometer 
(F) and the ipirit thermometer (D) into the fluid part, after 
breaking off the top of the phial, and they role directly and 
became flationary ; the former at 40° or 40°!, the latter at 
29°!, both below the cypher. Having taken thefe out, I put in 
two others, (G) and (E) ; the former became flationary at 40°, 
the latter at 30°. I then decanted the fluid quickfilver, to exa- 
mine the internal furface of the frozen quickfilver, which 
proved very uneven, with many radii going acrofs ; fome of 
thefe refembled pins with heads. Urgent bufinefs called me 
away an hour. On my return I found a fmall portion only 
had liquified in my abfence. I then broke the phial entirely, 
and with a hammer repeatedly ftruck the quickfilver. It beat 
out flat, yielded a deadifh found, and became fluid in lefs than 
a minute afterwards. I fihould have mentioned, that 1 brought 
the thermometer (F) into a room, where it role to 55 0 above 
the cypher, and then let it cool again in the open air, before I 
put it into the frozen quickfilver. My reafon was, for fear the 
quickfilver in the thermometer ihould be frozen fo as to render 
2 the 
