in natural history, the name of a red earth of the ochre-kind, called also rubrica sinopica, and by some authors sinopis. It is a very close, compact, and weighty earth, of a fine glowing purple colour. It is of a pure texture, but not very hard, and of an even, but dusty surface. It adheres firmly to the tongue, is perfectly fine and smooth to the touch, does not crumble easily between the fingers, and stains the hands. It melts very slowly in the mouth, and is perfectly pure and fine, and of a very astringent taste, and ferments very violently with aqua-fortis. It was dug in Cappadocia, and carried for sale to the city Sinope, whence it had its name. It is now found in plenty in the New-Jerseys in America, and is called by the people there blood-stone. Its fine texture and body, with its high florid colour, must make it very valuable to painters, and its powerful astringency equally so in medicine.