Amber. VS by tome, that it is purchafed by pilgrims, previous to their journey to Mecca, and that on their arri val there, it is burnt in honour of the prophet Mahomet. The acid and oil 'obtained from- it are tifed as medicines. Objetvations. t. It often contains infeCts ot various fpecies, in a Hate of complete prefervation m , alto leaves and other parts of vegetables. 2. Various conjectures have been^propofed te- fpeCting its origin and formation. By fome, it is held to be a vegetable gum qr refin ; others, as Hermbftadt, conlider it a mineral oil, thickened by abforption of oxygen •, and Mr Parkinfon is of ppinion that it is infpiffated mineral oiL 3. There was lately found in Pruffia, a mafs of amber, which weighed upwards of 13 lbs., and whofecontentsamonnted to 318^ cubic inches. Five thoufand dollars are faid to have been offered for it ■, and the Armenian merchants affert, that ip Conftantinoplc it would fell for 30,000 or 40,000 dollars.—“ Neues allgemeines Journal der Chemie, “ von Hermbftadt und Klaproth,” 1. b. f. 224. 4. Pitchcoal is fometimes found along with am ber, and is called by the amber diggers, Black Amber, and is fold to the ignorant at a great price. 5. Specimens inclofing infe&s, &c., are highly valued ; and the amber dealers are faid to be pof- feffed