302 Mr. Chenevix’s Enquiries concerning the Nature 
mercury, by a current of sulphuretted hydrogen gas ; and re- 
duced the insoluble powder. After many attempts, in which I 
obtained buttons of the specific gravity of 14,3 and 14,5, I 
formed a piece weighing 11 grains, of the specific gravity of 
11,5. This last was palladium; but I could not ascertain the 
excess of weight, as a part of the original precipitate had been 
lost. 
Exper. 9. I mixed a solution of muriate of platina with 
prussiate of mercury, and obtained a slight precipitate. The 
liquor was evaporated, and the whole residuum exposed to a 
violent heat. This experiment did not succeed. It was not re- 
peated so often as the others ; but I have some reason to think 
it might be attended with success; for I obtained, in one instance, 
a few very minute grains, that were soluble in nitric acid. 
Exper. 10. I heated some purified platina, in the form of a 
very fine powder, with ten times its weight of mercury, and 
rubbed them together for a long time. The result was, an amal- 
gam of platina. This amalgam, exposed to a violent heat, lost 
all the mercury it had contained ; and the original weight of 
the platina remained without increase. 
Exper. 11. The best method of forming an amalgam of 
platina, is that prescribed by Count Mussin Pushkin. I dis- 
solved a known quantity of platina in nitro-muriatic acid, preci- 
pitated by ammonia, and evaporated the liquor. The residuum 
was rubbed for a long time with a great quantity of mercury, 
and then exposed to a violent heat. Many operations failed ; in 
some, I had a button of the specific gravity of 13,2. In one at- 
tempt, I succeeded completely : from 30 grs. of platina, treated 
as above, I obtained a button weighing 43,5, of the specific 
gravity of 11,73b, which had all the properties of palladium. 
