For some reason that is a common practice, my teacher in school told me it was red mercury and defeneded his position with gusto until i prooved him wrong... jackass...
Its red dyed alcohol isnt it? Mercuric oxide is yellow/red, mercuric iodide and suphide (rhombic) are red.. monoclinic mercuric sulphide is black. (or do i have these round the wrong way?)
-josh