Red CHALK, an earth much used by painters and
artificers, and common in the colour-shops. It is pro-
perly an indurated clayey ochre; and is dug in Ger-
many, Italy, Spain, and France, but in greatest quan-
tity in Flanders. It is of a fine, even, and firm tex-
ture; very heavy, and very hard; of a pale red on the
outside, but of a deep dusky chocolate colour within.
It adheres firmly to the tongue, is perfectly insipid to
the taste, and makes no effervescence with acids.