*3 
Mr. Smithson's chemical Analysis, &c. 
was said by the German of whom it was purchased, to have 
come from the mines of Bleyberg in Carinthia. 
It was in the form of a sheet stalactite, spread over small 
fragments of limestone. Its texture was not however at all crys- 
talline, but of the dull earthy appearance of chalk, though, on 
comparison, of a finer grain and closer texture. 
It was quite white, perfectly opaque, and adhered to the 
tongue; 68.0 grs. of it, in small bits, immersed in distilled 
water, absorbed 19.8 grs. of it, — 0,29. 
It admitted of being scraped by the nail, though with some 
difficulty : scraped with a knife, it afforded no light. 
68.1 grs. of it, broken into small pieces, expelled 19.0 grs. 
of distilled water from a stopple bottle. Hence its density 
= 3.584. In another trial, 18.96 grs. at a heat of 65° Fahren- 
heit, displaced 5.27 grs. of distilled water; hence the density 
— 3.598. The bits, in both cases, were entirely penetrated with 
water. 
b. Subjected to the action of the blowpipe on the coal, it be- 
came yellow the moment it was heated, but recovered its pristine 
whiteness on being let cool. This quality, of temporarily 
changing their colour by heat, is common to most, if not all, 
metallic oxides ; the white growing yellow, the yellow red, the 
red black. 
Urged with the blue flame, it became extremely friable; 
spread yellow flowers on the coal ; and, on continuing the fire 
no very long time, entirely exhaled. If the flame was directed 
against the flowers, which had settled on the coal, they shone 
with a vivid light. A bit fixed to the end of a slip of glass, wasted 
nearly as quickly as on the coal. 
It dissolved in borax and microcosmic salt, with a slight 
. 7 O 
