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X. I have lately received an Account from my Brotlier, that on a side os «f

one of the Appennine Mountains halfway betwixt Bologna and Florcnce , near a zoh!?ty ör'""Place call’d Petra Mala , about 5 Miles from Fterenzola , there is a spot of t<od. St. Chir.Ground about 3 or 4 Miles Diameter, which inceffantly sends up a Flame Ri- n ' ***singvery high, without Noife, Smoke , or Smell ; yet it gives a very greatHeat, and it has been obferved to be thus in all Times, except of great Rains,which put it out for a time; but when that is over it Burns with Greater Vi-gour and Heat than before. The Sand about it, when turned up, fends upa Flame ; but within 3 or 4 Yards of it there grows Corn all round about; forit continues always in the sime Spot.

This Flame scems to proceed from a Vein of Bitumen , or Naptha , thatCropes (as the Miners call it) only here; which when by Plowing, or forne o-ther Accident*, the upper Crust has been turned up, was Kindled into a Flarmby the Heat and Agitation ot the Air, as other Salino Sulpburecus Bodies are,of which Efq, Boyl's Phosphorus is a particulas Instance. The like SpontaneousAfcenßon is feen in many Mineral Substances, but none that I know of, soQuick in its Production, or so Casting, as this is, the whole Wood and Fic-ldshaving been Destroyed by them. The Neighbours there have been so iittleCurious to Observe it, that they believed there was a great Hole in the Flame-place ; but he found it to be Firm Ground. Neither does any there Remem-ber when, and upon what Occasion it siris began. The Flaming Well nearWigan seems to proceed from a Cause much like this, in which you may Boylan Egg , and upon the approaching of a Ligbted Candle it takes Fire ; bothfeem to proceed from a Naphtha or Subtile Bitumen, only that in a HotterCountry, and being in a Dryer Soll, is more Subtile and Inflatnmable; just asthe Petroleum which is found in Italy is a White like Spirit of Turpentine, andis more Penetming than the Petroleum which is to be found in the NorthernCountries\ an instance of which we have in a Well two Miles distant from E-dinburgh, calPd the Baulme Well , of a Black Red Colour and very Thick,but being Distilled, does in Colour, Taste, and Smell, resemble that ofItaly.

The Spontaneous Afcenßon of the Naphtha seems to be made out by the Smellthat our Bitumen near Edinburg yields, being most like Coal-Smoak. Thereare three such Fures on the sime Hills that are Extinguifh’d in the Summer, butBurn in the Winter ; The reason of which l judge to be, that the Bowels ofthe Earth being Cooler in Summer than in Winter, do not send forth thatQuantity of those Subtile Exbalations as may be sufficient to maintain a Flamein Summer; but in Winter, the Bowels of the Earth being Hotter (which ismade evident by the Smoaking of Springs in Winter, and not in Summer, andthe Experience of Miners ) greater Plenty of Stearns are sent forth, which inthe Air are agitated into a Flame ; the Brisk Motion of the Parts one against a-nother, being Promoted by the Subtilty and Brisk Motion of the Aenal Parti-cles, qua mutuas dant Operas.

Vol. II.

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XI. To