10 JOURNAIv OF THE 



decomposition of the mag-nesiuni chloride. There seemed 

 to be some action, but much ditliculty was experienced in 

 separating the products. The method described by Ouvr 

 rard g-ave evidences of zirconium in the washing's. 



In the case of fusions with calcium chloride no action 

 could be observed. Two experiments were made, follow- 

 ing- closeh^ the directions of Ouvrard, except as to tem- 

 perature possibly, as to which no exact directions were 

 ^ifiven. A water-blast lamp was used tor several hours. 

 After leaching- and washing*, the mass left behind gave 

 no zirconium to hydrochloric acid. 



Our experiments with the chlorides have led us to be- 

 lieve that there is little or no action between zirconia and 

 the chlorides of the alkalies or alkaline earths except 

 where these chlorides are decomposed by the heat and 

 oxides formed. Any action noticed is to be attributed to 

 the oxides. 



V. PRECIPITATION FROM THE SOLUTION OF A ZIRCON- 

 IUM SALT BY MEANS OF AN ALKALINE HYDROXIDE. 



Watts speaks of this method but no experiments are 

 recorded. It seemed to us upon examination of the ques- 

 tion that very little evidence as to the existence of the 

 zirconates or their properties could be drawn from such 

 a method of preparation as this. It has been repeatedly 

 observed that the precipitate formed by means ot am- 

 monium hydroxide is extremely hard to wash free from 

 ammonia. After a very larg'e number of washing's, how- 

 ever, it is practically free from ammonia. The same is true 

 of sodium and potassium hvdroxides. Is it to be inferred 

 that a definite zirconate is precipitated? At what point 

 shall the washing- be stopped, for manifestly some wash- 

 ing- is necessary? Equally, it cannot be decided because 

 of this loss of alkali by prolong-ed washing-, that we have 

 a decomposition of the zirconate caused by the action of 

 the water. It, therefore, seems to be quite useless to make 

 analyses of the precipitates gotten with different degrees 



