The combination of phosphorus and barytes may be effected in the same way as the foregoing, and the compound has the same appearance. According to Dulong, who has examined this phosphuret with particular attention, it gives out phosphuretted hydrogen when dropped into water, the same as that of lime. When the gas ceases to be given out, a powder remains completely insoluble in water, of a variable colour, yellow, grey or brown. It is not altered by the air; but it gives out a slight phosphoric flame when heated. Dilute nitric or muriatic acid, dissolves nearly the whole with a trace of phosphuretted hydrogen, and leaves only a few atoms of greenish yellow powder, soluble in oxymuriatic acid. The part dissolved by the acids being precipitated by ammonia, gives phosphate of barytes. From these facts he infers that the residue insoluble in water, consists of a small portion of phosphuret of barytes with excess of base, and phosphate of barytes. The water in which the phosphuret was decomposed, contains most of the barytes; carbonic acid produces a slight precipitate, and then leaves a neutral liquid containing the subphosphate of barytes, which appears to be a very soluble salt. Sulphuric acid throws down the barytes and leaves the subphosphorous acid in the liquid. Nothing certain is determined from experiment respecting the proportion of phosphorus and barytes which combine; but from analogy it is probable that they combine atom to atom, or 68 parts barytes with 9 of phosphorus; or 100 parts of the compound contain 88 of barytes and 12 of phosphorus. _6. Phosphuret of strontites._ Phosphuret of strontites may be formed as the two preceding articles. It is in all respects similar to the phosphuret of barytes according to Dulong, and its properties therefore need not be particularized. From analogy, I should apprehend, it must be constituted of 46 strontites and 9 phosphorus, or one atom of strontites to one of phosphorus; that is, 100 parts of phosphuret should contain 83 strontites and 17 phosphorus. Combinations of the other earths and phosphorus have not yet been effected. Neither have the alkalies been combined with phosphorus; the hydrates of these as well as those of the earths, yield phosphuretted hydrogen when heated with phosphorus, and probably a phosphate or subphosphate of the base. M. Sementini of Rome is said to have succeeded in combining potash and phosphorus by means of alcohol. His experiments, however, appear to me too indefinite to warrant the conclusion. (See An. of Philos.--7. p. 280). The compounds of phosphorus with potassium and sodium are described in the sequel, amongst the metallic phosphurets. _7. Phosphuret of gold._