STR 
times found in France, apd is seldom met 
with in woods, preferring rocks and decayed 
buildings. It is distinguished by its acti- 
vity and clear sightedness during the day, 
in which it will follow swallows in chase, 
though rarely, if ever, with success. Small 
birds in general constitute part of its food, 
and rats and mice form its principal de- 
pendence, but are necessarily torn to pieces 
by it, as its size is small, and its length 
does not exceed eight inches. 
STROBILUS, in botany, signifies a 
cone, a species of seed vessel composed of 
woody scales, which are placed against one 
another, and split only at top, being fixed 
below to an axis which occupies the centre 
of the cone. This botanical tei m is exem- 
plified in the pine, cypress, fir, and other 
cone-bearing plants. 
STROMATEUS, the stromat, in natural 
history, a genus of fishes of the order 
Apodes. Generic character : head com- 
pressed ; teeth in the palate as well as 
jaws; body oval, broad, and slippery; tail 
forked. There are three species, "s. fix- 
tola, or striped stromat, is an inhabitant of 
the Mediterranean. Its colour, on the 
upper parts; is blue, and that of the sides 
and abdomen of a brilliant silver colour, and 
its body is transversely marked by serpen- 
tine lines of gold ; its lips are red, and two 
lateral lines appear on each side of the 
back, that nearest the top being curved. 
The paru stromat is about as large as a 
turbot, and is found in the American seas, 
is of a bright gold colour on the upper, and 
silver on the lower parts of its body. It is 
in high estimation for the table. 
The ash-coloured stromat is of the length 
of a foot, inhabits the Indian seas, and is 
valued as a high delicacy. Its bones are 
little more than cartilages. The largest 
fishes of this species are generally deemed 
the best. 
STRONTITE.S, or .Strontian, in mi- 
neralogy, is cf a green colour ; it occurs 
sometimes massive and sometimes crys- 
tallized. This earth was not discovered 
till about tlie year 1791 or 1792. Dr. 
Crawford, indeed, previously to this period, 
in making some experiments on what he 
supposed was a carbonate of barytes, and 
observing a striking difference between 
this mineral, and the carbonate of barytes 
which he had been accustomed to employ, 
conjectured that it might contain a new 
earth ; and he sent a specimen to Mr. 
Kirwan for the purpose of analyzing it. This 
conjecture was fully verified by the experi- 
ments of Dr. Hope, Mr. Kirwan, and 
STR 
M. Klaproth, who were all engaged in the 
same analysis nearly about the same time. 
This earth is found native in combination 
with carbonic and sulphuric acids. With the 
former it is found in considerable quantity 
in the lead mines of Strontian in Argylshire, 
from which it has derived its name stron- 
tite.s ; or strontian, as it is called by others ; 
here it occurs with lead-glance, heavy-spar, 
&c. The nature and properties- of this earth 
have beenstill further investigated by Pelle- 
tier, Fourcroy, and Vauquelin. This earth 
may be obtained in a state of pmity, either 
by exposing the carbonate of strontites 
mixed with charcoal powder, to a strong 
heat, by which the carbonic acid is driven 
off; or, by dissolving the native salt in 
nitric acid, and decomposing the nitrate of 
strontites thus formed, by heat. Strontites 
obtained by either of these processes, is in 
small porous fragments of a greenish white 
colour. It has an acrid, hot, alkaline taste, 
and converts vegetable blues to green. The 
specific gravity is from 3.4 to 3-6. Light 
has no perceptible action upon this earth. 
When it is exposed to heat, it may be kept 
a long time, even in a red heat, without un- 
dergoing any change, or even the appear- 
ance of fusion. By the action of the 
blow-pipe it is not melted, but is surround- 
ed with a very brilliant white flame. AVhen 
a little water is thrown on strontites, it ex- 
hibits the same appearance as barytes. It 
is slaked, gives out heat, and then falls to 
powder. If a greater quantity of water be 
added, it is dissolved. According to Kla- 
proth it requires 200 parts of water at the 
ordinary temperature of the atmosphere for 
its solution. Boiling water dissolves it in 
greater quantity, and when the solution 
cools, it aflbrds transparent crystals. These 
crystals are in the form of rhomboidal 
plates, or in that of flattened silky needles 
or compressed prisms. They effloresce in 
the air, and have an acrid hot taste. The 
solution of this earth in water is acrid and 
alkaline, and converts vegetable blues to 
green. It is''soon covered with a pellicle, 
by absorbing carbonic acid from the at- 
mosphere. Strontites has the property of 
communicating a purple or red carmine 
colour to flame. Specimens have been 
analyzed by various chemists who have ob- 
tained diflerent results ; according to- Kla- 
proth the constituent parts are, 
Strontites 69.5 
Carbonic acid 30.0 
Water 5 
100 
