Peckhain.] 45^ [September 18. 



would contain both phosj^horous and sulphur. Phosphate of 

 lime is quite freely soluble in water saturated with carbonic 

 acid; and sulphuretted hydrogen is soluble in cold water ex- 

 cepting when it contains a free acid. Bones too are soluble in 

 water containing either carbonic acid or chloride of sodium or 

 ammonium.* Since water almost invariablj^ contains carbonic 

 acid, these products of decomposition would soon be borne 

 awa}'. Sulphates, especially those of the alkalies, when in 

 solution, are decomposed when the water containing them flows 

 through strata impregnated with organic matter, into sulphu- 

 retted hj'drogen and a carbonate of the oxide present. When 

 sulphuretted h3-drogen infiltrates strata containing carbonate of 

 lime, gypsum is formed and sulphur deposited.f Nearly every 

 spring of bitumen in Southern California yields also more or 

 less water, containing organic matter in solution, together with 

 salts of soda, chiefly sulphate, carbonate and chloride. The 

 water is also almost without exception, highly charged with 

 sulphuretted hj'drogen, and deposits of sulphur of considerable 

 extent are of frequent occurrence, often accompanied with gyp- 

 sum in irregular masses. As sulphur is sparingly soluble in 

 petroleum, those of that region all contain it in small propor- 

 tion. Should the water which accompanies the oil in Pennsyl- 

 vania, be found to be free from sulphates, especially those of the 

 alkalies, the fact would furnish an explanation of the remarkable 

 freedom of those oils from sulphur. In the few instances in 

 which oil containing sulphur has been found in cavities of fossils 

 hermetically sealed, the sulphur might have been derived from 

 the animal remains from which the oil originated. J 



In accordance with the foregoing conclusions, I repeat, let it be 

 assumed that petroleum is the normal or primary product of the 

 decomposition of organic matter, chieflj'' animal, then the dift'er- 

 ent varieties are found to fall into two groups. The first group 

 forms asphaltum by inspissation, if at all ; it contains paraflflue, 

 and the products of the distillation of all the forms of bitumen 

 derived from it, ^-ield parafline. This group I shall designate 

 the class .-l, and it ma^^ be represented by the petroleums of 

 the Oil Creek region, Pennsylvania. The second group forms 



* Bischof Chem. and Phys. Geology. II. 28. t H^itl- I- 15 and 340. 



X It would be of interest to know if any iustances occur in which :.llie lime- 

 stone surrounding these cavities has been replaced by gypsum. 



