240 Mr. Gibbes on the Conversion of 
which soon rose to 160° ; it began congealing at 112 0 , and be- 
came so solid at 1 io° that the thermometer could not easily be 
taken out. 
I took some of the spermaceti of the shops, and under the 
same circumstances I plunged the same thermometer into it. It 
soon rose to 170° ; a pellicle was formed at the top of it when 
at 11 7 0 ; and it became so solid at 114°, that the thermometer 
could not easily be taken out. 
I dissolved a piece of the substance, which I had formed by 
means of water and the nitrous acid, in boiling spirits of wine; 
on cooling this mixture, a great quantity of this waxy matter 
was separated in the form of beautiful flakes. I could not 'pro- 
cure large crystals, but the flakes assumed a crystalline ap- 
pearance. 
I put into an earthen retort some of this waxy matter, to 
which I added some finely powdered charcoal; on applying a 
pretty strong fire, a small quantity of an oily fluid came over, 
which concreted on cooling; after which came over a prodi- 
gious quantity of thick white vapours, which were very suffo- 
cating and offensive. 
I had a copper retort made, for the purpose of trying some 
experiments on this matter. I put a small quantity into it, and 
placed it on a common fire ; there came over first a limpid 
fluid like water, without much smell ; on the addition of more 
heat, there came over an oily fluid, which soon coagulated, of 
a firmer consistence than when put in, and Coloured of a beau- 
tiful green by the copper ; this last circumstance proves that 
it contained no ammonia. 
Having procured some very pure quicksilver, I took a glass,, 
which contained about 10 pounds of that fluid, with which I 
