n, and the precipitate of nitrous air made from copper,
also imbibed this air very fast, and the little that remained of it was
inflammable air; which proves, that these calces contain phlogiston. It
seems also to be pretty evident, from this experiment, that the
precipitate above mentioned is a real calx of the metal, by the solution
of which the nitrous air is generated.

As some remarkable circumstances attend the absorption of this acid air,
by the substances above-mentioned, I shall briefly mention them.

Spirit of wine absorbs this air as readily as water itself, and is
increased in bulk by that means. Also, when it is saturated, it
dissolves iron with as much rapidity, and still continues inflammable.

Oil of olives absorbs this air very slowly, and at the same time, it
turns almost black, and becomes glutinous. It is also less miscible with
water, and acquires a very disagreeable smell. By continuing upon the
surface of the water, it became white, and its offensive smell went off
in a few days.

Oil of turpentine absorbed this air very fast, turning brown, and almost
black. No inflammable air was formed, till I raised more of the acid
air than the oil was able to absorb, and let it stand a considerable
time; and still the air was but weakly inflammable. The same was the
case with the oil of olives, in the last mentioned experiment; and it
seems to be probable, that, the longer this acid air had continued in
contact with the oil, the more phlogiston it would have extracted from
it. It is not wholly improbable, but that, in the intermediate state,
before it becomes inflammable air, it may be nearly of the nature of
common air.

Bees-wax absorbed this air very slowly. About the bigness of a hazel-nut
of the wax being put to three ounce measures of the acid air, the air
was diminished one half in two days, and, upon the admission of water,
half of the remainder also disappeared. This air was strongly
inflammable.

Charcoal absorbed this air very fast. About one fourth of it was
rendered immiscible in water, and was but weakly inflammable.

A small bit of _phosphorus_, perhaps about half a grain, smoked, and
gave light in the acid air, just as it would have done in common air
confined. It was not sensibly wasted after continuing about twelve
hours in that state, and the bulk of the air was very little diminished.
Water being admitted to it absorbed it as before, except about one fifth
of the whole. It was but