97 



found no trace of either. I have also tested for PO4 and fluorine with nega- 

 tive results. 



On heating a sample of the salt lime in a dry test tube, there was 

 a slight charring, itosslbly due to a slight amount of material from the 

 wooden vats or perhaps from sea algae. There was also a slight smell of 

 NH3 on boiling a large mass of the finely-powdered substance with excess 

 of NaOH in an attempt to remove CaSO^ to secure concentration of the 

 less soluble constituents. This was probably also due to small amounts of 

 remains of sea algae.. 



From my study of the substance I would conclude that it consists 

 mainly of gyi)suni. but that it contains an appreciable amount of CaCO, 

 (.65 per cent.) and that it is remarkably free from other constituents, due 

 probably to the sharp distinctions in solubility between the less soluble and 

 the more solulile constituents of sea water. I hope to concentrate further 

 a considerable amount of the substance and examine it for traces of radio- 

 active material or other constituents. 



7— A. OP SCIKNCE. 



