, 56 * Mr. Davy’s Experiments on 
l have acted upon ammonia by different metallic amalgams 
negatively electrified, such as the amalgams of gold and silver, 
the amalgam of zinc, and the liquid amalgam of bismuth and 
lead ; but in all these cases the effect was less distinct, than 
when pure mercury was used. 
By exposing the mercury to a cold of — so 9 Fahrenheit, 
in a close tube, I have succeeded in obtaining an amalgam in a 
much more solid state ; yet this decomposed nearly as rapidly 
as the common amalgam, but it gave off' much more gaseous 
matter ; and in one instance I obtained a quantity which was 
nearly equal to six times its volume. 
The amalgam which I have reason to believe can be made 
most free from adhering moisture , is that of potassium, mercury, 
and ammonium in a solid state. This, as I have mentioned 
in my former communication, decomposes very slowly, even 
in contact with water, and when it has been carefully wiped 
with bibulous paper, bears a considerable heat without altera- 
tion. I have lately made several new attempts to distil the 
ammonium from it, but without success. When it is strongly 
heated in a green glass tube filled with hydrogene gas, 
there is always a partial regeneration of ammonia ; but 
with this ammonia there is from p- to of hydrogene 
produced. 
As it does not seem possible to obtain an amalgam in an uni- 
form state, as to adhering moisture, it is not easy to say what 
would be the exact ratio between the hydrogene and ammonia 
produced, if no more water was present, than would be decom- 
posed in oxidating the basis. But in the most refined experi- 
ments which I have been able to make, this ratio is that of one 
to two ; and in no instance in which proper precautions are 
