The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-04
Amber,

An English scientific paper says: Amber is
rcsinous oxidation from an old-world pine
tree named by Goppcrt Pinites @tcciaJer, Pi-
mites was closely allied to. our modern spruce
Amber IL, therefore analogous in its nature to
the resin which is found in every fir planta-
ton at the present day. Indeed, if anything
were wanting to prove its originally fluid con
dition, it would be the fact that debris of vari-
Gus kinds are frequently found embedded in it.
Fragments of the flowers leaves and twigs OF
more than one hundred and sixty species of
plants have been detected by the interchangeable
Gopport, besides numerous insects. In eX-
amining piece of amber" says the writer re-
1crred to, Zone is often struck with the fact
that these little creatures, or portions Of them,
are scattered through the mass in every posi-
bic position. | have before me at this moment
piece about two inches square and OF moder-
ate thickness, which is crowded with insects.
Within its transparent substance | observe Il
tiny beetle apparently allied to our clythra,
several small gnatS, the remains OF moth
Uathcr Il rare find, by the way and number
of white ants (teImitcS); there must be dozen
or more present, all winged besides several de-
taChCd wings, quite perfect in Their outline,
and with the ncuraton beautifully clear. 1t is
evident that the little creatures settled upon
the treach0rOus resin at the time when ii was
in Il scmitluid condition, and were, Of course,
retained there by the viscid nature of the sub
stance. The gum as it flowed from the body
of the tree, gradually surrounded It's victims,
and at last entirely enclosed them in prema-
turc but very beautiful tomb. These insects
are found in different degrees of preservation.
some, which were evidently cngultcd at once
in the sticky matter, are rs perfect as the day
they were Killed; others have been consigned
80, - linn inn .Ia
dcu very slowly, and the victims have not only
died before they were surrounded 10y it, but
having been trapped in bright dry weather
their bodies have become dcsSicated and with.
cred in some instances, indeed, Il white mold
has begun To form around them, plainly dis
ccrnible in the pellucd amber"
OF amber the principal source OF supply Is
land has been from time immcmoriaD The
coast of the Baltic Sea, between Mcmcl and
DantZic, where it is disseminated with laycrs
of Ignite in the sand or clay. 1t is searched
for in the sea or ON the shore, picked from tho
cliffs with iron hooks at the end of long poles
or regularly mined the shafts being sometime,
sunk To the depth of one hundred and fifty feet
Saxonv supplies small quantity; il also oc
ours in Sicily, in Siberia, Sweden, Italy ant
other parts of Europe Ii occurs in varying
quantities in nOdules or nuggets of dificrcn
sizes, soilt'h''N ~ Sil'll ~ -ld'HN va 'u'''N
sand. at Others much larger. One of the larg
e>t pieces on record i deposited in the Muse
um of minerals ut Berlin. This great mass
which measures upwards OF thirteen inches IL
length, eight inches broad and four to sil
inches thick, with weight of over thir;ceI
mounds, was found near GumhinCn. in Eastern
4 Prussia, in the year 1903. The fortunate pos
SCISSOR received Tor his prize one thousand tn;
4 lrrs. though it. real value far exceeds tina
SUN.