580 
CHEMICAL MEMORANDA. 
By WILL1AM McMurrriz, CHEMIST. 
BAT-EXCREMENT.—During the early part of the month of October 
this Department received from Messrs. Milier & Tancré, of Hunts- 
ville, Alabama, a sample of organic material, which was accompanied 
with the following communication: 
We send you to-day, by express, a small box containing specimen of a deposit found 
in a cave on the plantation of Mr. B. F. Watkins, in Landerdale County, Alabama, on 
the Tennessee River, about forty miles west of Huntsville. The cave has never been 
thoroughly explored, but is thought to be about two miles in length, with rooms open- 
ing on either side of the main entrance. It is inhabited by a countless number of 
bats, from whose discharges the deposit in question is formed. No correct idea can be 
formed with regard to the extent of this deposit, but in many places it is found to be 
fifteen feet deep. 
By request of Mr. Watkins we send you this specimen for analysis, as he wishes to 
ascertain its value as a fertilizer, and the proper ingredients with which to compost it 
for either cotton or cereals. There is in it also a lump of niter, which also exists in a 
large quantity. This was worked during the war by the confederacy in the manufac- 
ture of saltpeter. 
The color of the deposit is dark brown. The material is very light, 
and seems to consist of small scales, which are probably the remains of 
insects. This fact, together with the fact that the cave from which it 
is obtained is inhabited by a large number of bats, may be considered 
fair evidence in support of the theory advanced with regard to its origin. 
The lump accompanying the dark sample, supposed by our correspond- 
ent to be niter, cannot be considered as such since it contains no 
potassa or other alkali of any account, and but a small proportion of 
nitric acid. On account of the presence of this latter constituent, as 
well as of the soluble phosphoric acid, it has some agricultural value, and 
will be found useful in admixture with the other material. When taken 
from the box it was quite moist, and when cut through, the section pre- 
sented a white and yellowish mottled appearance. On exposure it 
dried, forming a tolerably hard mass, which crumbled upon application 
of slight pressure, and when crushed it was very fine and pulverulent. 
From the results of analysis given below it seems to be an accumula- 
tion of siliceous clay. 
The analysis resulted as follows: 
Moisture ...-.-. Seeey Sats aicajeb apace en eeeeetos ssn sein aplasia ase sea eee 12. 800 
(RERUN, SERRE 3 ee ee oe ee = ons eae aol eree hae eee 9,700 
Dilies, msolubie im chiorhydric acid .- ---.cesce. ---- secon eansen anos ne pee 42, 290 
Silica, soluble'in*chlorhydric acid J.092. 2 22bse-- + 5-2 aos eae ae eae ane Sees 9, 410 
Phésphoric cid, (soluble in water 022... Wel 2ih. 2.) cess .2s oS - toe eee 0. 2277 
‘Phosphoriciacid? insolublean’ water, -2--.222ese-s- c= -cne «amas lone = +e sere 1. 4673 
IPELOxIG OLOl cITODS 525) a-Se coe «)sciis sansa nists oe Sena * sepa eee 0. 1169 
TUN Diente ote ison =, oc ok acicwen ne ooCe eee elo Ss cce Se Retake oe. eer 19. 88 
DAME Sse eee ese OP TES DALE SSeS! TS SE Sn See 1, 6377 
Biovidars AleCrebessies (aks eet eee. wets bee oe. eee 2.09 
NICH AGIO.. Sepereee Sei ice coca aceeta coh aR ree © 6 oat ae eee sare tet eee 0. 0823 
SHUDBTNTIC AGIs oo pa ake ono eae is =o ne es cee Sena ai ae ee Trace. 
Soda.----- ee Ne ce Ex Ee Se ae ATR oe aoe eS ee ees Trace. 
Garponice acid +. see 02.22 IMS. CR Seen Loh ok. ee se ao foe eee ete tote Trace 
99.7019 
The dark-brown material has a greater agricultural value, since it 
contains a much larger quantity of the constituents which are imme- 
