ISGS.] AQI [Peckluun. 



oil was increased, and solid bitumen in proportionally large 

 amount was precipitated to the bottom ot tne vessel. After 

 decanting the liquid portion from the solid, the latter was found 

 to be a brittle asphalt, having a brilliant fracture, readily soluble 

 in bi-sulphide of carbon and fusible at the boiling point of water. 

 The minute particles first deposited were insoluble in that men- 

 struum and infusible at the temperature before mentioned. 



I next subjected other portions of the same samples to the 

 action of ozone, prepared from pure and dry per-manganate of 

 potash. The action of this gas was less energetic than Avhen it 

 was mixed witli chlorine. No solid bitumen was formed insol- 

 uble in bi-sulphide of carbon, but in other respects its action 

 upon each of the oils was not to be distinguished from that of 

 the mixed gases. A third series of experiments were made by 

 passing atmospheric air through portions of the same samples. 

 The time was prolonged to fifty da3'S, j'et as in the former experi- 

 ments with chlorine and ozone, the Pennsylvania Oil presented 

 no change, which might not be attributed to very slow evapo- 

 ration, retaining entirely its peculiarities of color, being changed 

 only in consistence, which became as honey, and losing at least 

 three-fourths of its bulk and weight.* No solid bitumen Avas 

 deposited from the California Oil in this experiment. It dimin- 

 ished somewhat in bulk and weight, but increased in specific 

 gravity in much greater proportion to its loss, than the Penn- 

 sylvania Oil. 



An experiment made to ascertain the products of the decom- 

 position, effected by the ozone upon the California Oil, failed to 

 detect water, but exhibited carbonic acid in abundance, undoubt- 

 edl}' accompanied by gaseous carbides of hydrogen, although of 

 the latter supposition I have as yet no positive proof. 



It would be useless at present to attempt to form even a spec- 

 ulative explanation of the reactions which take place in the 

 decomposition which forms asphaltum, as nothing is as yet 

 known of the proximate principles which make up California 

 petroleum. 



These results of observation and experiment, simple as tliey 

 may at first appear, are nevertheless the first steps towards a 



* May not "Ozocerite" and other somi-transnarent and elastic solid bitu- 

 mens, be formed by the verj- gradual evaporation of petroleums resembling 

 those of Pennsylvania? 



