232 . Observations on

During the process the solution boiledviolently in the form of a red liquor, whilethe upper part of the retort was coated witha whitish sort of matter. As the heatreached this coating, it also became red;and during the whole process that whichevaporated was collected on the fides of theretort, and then deseeded to the bottom, likedrops of blood, or red ink, so as to makea very pleasing appearance. After the pro-cess, a very little reddish matter remainedat the bottom and on the sides of the retort,which, as well as that which was collectedat the neck of the retort, became whitewhen it was cold. Very little of thequicksilver was revivified.

That I might form the better judgmentof the quantity of air that might be ex-tracted from an ounce of quicksilver, Icollected, as well as I could, all the matterthat adhered to the neck of the retort, andexposing it to the heat a second time, I gotten ounce measures of air more, with thesame phenomena as before. Still, however,much of the matter adhered to the neck of

the