Chemistry, 
beautiful phaenomena ; but the finest effect certainly was that of 
zinc and platinum-foil, when tbe fused mass emitted an in» 
tense light of a blue colour. Alloys of tin and arsenic, bis- 
muth and lead, &c. were in like manner subjected to expe- 
rimenti Laminated gold, silver and copper, proto-carburet, 
and per-carburet of iron, pinchbeck, &c. were rolled up in 
platinum-foil, and introduced into the flame, but without any 
particular results Remarkable and beautiful, however, were 
the phaenomena which appeared, when some metallic wires 
were brought in contact with platinum wire at a white heat 
in this flame. Gold, silver, and copper wires were those 
used. They fused in the flame, and, when brought in con- 
tact with the platinum wire, severally produced minute ad- 
hering balls, which, repeated with narrow intervals between, ap- 
peared ultimately like little glowing beads threaded on a string. 
These united with the platinum, and burned with very delicate 
scintillation ; and when the wire was inclined, the beads ran 
along the metallic . string, combining with successive films of 
the wire, until the latter became as fine as the almost airy 
thread of the gossamer. The gold, silver, and copper wires, 
per sCy entered into tranquil fusion, and did not scintillate. 
When zinc is carried along the platinum wire, the ends or 
streams of a fine blue flame ascend from it, and when the bead 
rather exceeds in size, jets of a similar coloured flame issue, ac- 
companied sometimes with slight explosion.” 
15. Fulminating Silver , — In preparing some fulminating 
silver,” says Dr Gilby, I observed an occurrence which I 
have not seen any where noticed. I had placed on the table a 
small portion of it, to shew its detonation, and it happened, from 
a hole in the paper, that several other small heaps were scatter- 
ed on the table ; in touching one of them with sulphuric acid, 
I was surprised to find that they all detonated spontaneously. 
It is easy to imagine several reasons for the circumstance, but I 
am not certain as to the true one. I have frequently repeated 
the experiment, and always with the same result 
16 . Iodine in the Crab and Lobster. — M. Chevreul has dis- 
See this Journal^ vol, I. p, 4flT. 
