on some Egyptian Mummies. 183 
John Hawkins, Esq. F. R. S. some considerable pieces of 
mummies which he had bought of a druggist at Constantin- 
ople, one of which was covered and impregnated with a sa- 
line incrustation, which in taste and appearance was very si- 
milar to that I have just now mentioned. Of this I dissolved 
a part in water, filtered and evaporated the solution, and thus 
obtained a true soda, or mineral alkali (natrum), which shot 
into very neat and regular crystals. (See Tab. XVI. fig. 4.) 
For the sake of comparison, I examined another large 
mummy in the Museum, which had already been opened in 
several places. This was of a full grown person, and measured 
5 feet 5 inches in length. Like the former, it shewed not the 
least trace of any of the soft parts, but consisted of nothing but 
naked bones. 
Except a little rosin which stuck fast between the teeth, 
this mummy, as far as its inside could be examined, contained 
none of that substance; its thoracic and abdominal cavities 
being entirely filled with a dark brown mould, which also oc- 
cupied the whole space between the palate and the lower jaw, 
where it could easily be loosened and drawn out with the 
fingers. 
The maxdlce of this mummy were still less prominent than 
those of the former one. 
Some weeks after, viz. the 17th March, I had an opportu- 
nity to examine one more mummy at the Honourable Charles 
Greville's, F.R.S. which had four years before, viz. March 
29, 1788, been already opened in the presence of several cu- 
rious spectators. It belonged to John Symmons, Esq. of Gros- 
venor house, Westminster, who with the most obliging readi- 
ness allowed me unconditionally, not only to dissect it as 
