1798.] 
Profeffor KLAPROTH, in a memoir 
read to the academy of Science in Berlin, 
Jan. 25th, 1798, announces that he has. 
ifcovered a new metal in the white gold 
ore of Tranfylvania (Weis Golderz Aurum 
Paradoxum.) ‘This mineral is found in 
the Mariahilf mine, in the mountains of 
Fatzbay, near Zalethna. 
the name of Tellurium, and it is the third 
mew metal difcovered by this chemift. To 
obtain the metal, the ore is diffolved in 
aqua regia, and to the folution is added 
pure potafh, till the white precipitate, 
which firft appears, is rediffolved, leav- 
ing only a brown curdled mafs. This 
lait is the oxyds of gold and iron mixed 
together, and is feparated by the utfual 
means. The alkaline liquor is then {atu- 
rated with muriatic acid, which produces 
a copious white ponderous precipitate. 
This is the oxyd of:tellurium. It is re- 
duced to a reguline ftate by mixing it 
with any kind of oil or creafe, fo as te 
make a pafte, and diftilling it ina glafS re- 
tort withareceiver. Ina red heat the oil 
ts decompofed, and when the diftillation is 
finifhed, the retort is entirely lined with 
Brilliant metallic particles, while the 
greater part of the reduced metal is found 
at the bottom of the retort, and almoit al- 
ways cryftablized. 
The characters of the regulus of tellu- 
ritim, areas follow : : 
The colour is of a white between that 
of tin and of lead, the metallic luftre very 
confiderable, the fraGture Jamellar. It is 
very harfh and friable, very ealily fulible, 
and on cooling gradually it readily cryf- 
tallizes. Its fpecific gravity, 6,115. 
Urged with the blow-pipe upon charcoal 
it burns with a lively blue flame, green 
at the edges, and ts volatalized in the 
_ form of a white fmoke with a difagrecable 
odour like that of turnips. It amalga- 
mates readily with mercury. It diffolves 
eafily in the nitric and nitro-muriatic 
acids, but with dificulty in the fulphuric. 
In analyfing tour ditferent f{pecimens 
which contained this metal, he fourd 
their contents to be as follow: 


Tellurium 925.5] Tellurium - 60 
fron - 72. | Gold - = 30 
Gold - - Zep Peuver ea 5 it LO 
1000.0 TQO 
Fellurium 45. | TelRurium 33: 
Praldeg i 239. Lead 56 Sintet  bSRO: 
ead”. -=/ . 19.5 | Gold «+ > 88.5 
Silyer - - 8.5), Sulphur - 7°5 
Silveré Copper 1. 
T00.0 —_—— 
702.0 
“Ss 
, 
He has given it; 
Fifty Literary and Philofephical Notices. 2QT 
Mr. Fasgront of Florence, has difco- 
vered that the juice of the leaves of the 
Socotorine Aloe contains a violet-purple 
dye, which is unalterable by the-action 
of aw, and of acids and alkalies, and 
does not require the affiftance of cochineal 
to become fixed. The leaves of this 
plant are colourlefs when firft gathered, 
but after a fhort expofure to the air they 
become of a fine deep violet, which is. 
very permanent. 
Dr. Carraporr has publithed fome 
obiervationson the Italian Fire-Fly (Lam- 
pyris Ttahea). Thefe winged inflegts are 
{een flying throven the air in the fill 
nights of the f{pring, filling it with lu- 
minous {parks; this appearance is little 
affected by external caufes, and is entire- 
ly the effect of internal organization, and 
is in fome degree regulated by the wilh 
of the animal. WhilZ flying about at 
their eafe the light is very fteady, but 
when they are laid on their backs, or 
otherwife incommoded, it is very bright 
but wiregular. They can {carcely be 
made to thine in the day-time. 
The phofphorefcent fubftance extends 
as lowas the lowelt rings of the belly. 
Tt is enclofed between two membranes, 
which unite and form a fort of a bag. 
The fubftance is of the -confiftence of 
pafte, and has a {mell of garlic, but lit- 
tle tafte. The. flighteft preflure will 
{queeze it out of its covering. Wher 
the belly of the infeét is taken out, it 
remains luminous for a few hours, but 
gradually lofes its luitre as its gets dry 
and hard. If foftened in water foon af- 
ter, it again regains its phofphorelcence 
for a while. A portion of the belly of 
this infeét when thrown into oil foon lot 
its luminous appearance, but jn water 
the light was both encreafed in degree 
and remained longer. Tt will alfo fhine 
in the Torricellian vacuurh. In immer- 
fing the entire infeét alternately into 
wavm and cold water it fhines vividly in 
the former, but becomes dark in the 
latter. This perhaps depends on the ‘al- 
ternate agreeable and unpieaiant fenfa- 
tions of the infect.. 
Aa flight compreffion on the belly of 
the infect deprives it of the power of be. 
coming dark; When the light is at its 
higheft degree, it will readily enable one 
to diftinguifh the charaéteis on the fmalleft 
watch: dial-plate, and to read any kind 
of print. 
AGRICULTURE. In our laf number 
we mentioned the advantage of the parf- 
nip-root in the feeding of hogs and other 
domeftic animals; and as the culture of 
sha 
tas 
