in an ancient Egyptian Bottle. 347 



and alcohol was next treated with solution of caustic potash, 

 which without the aid of heat dissolved the greater portion of 

 the remaining organic matter, and became deep brownish-black, 

 although perfectly transparent when viewed in thin layers. 



This was evidently the insoluble humic acid analogous to that 

 found in vegetable earth. It was precipitated in a flocculent 

 form, of a brown colour, by hydrochloric acid, and the superna- 

 tant liquid became light straw-colour. When washed and di'ied, 

 it was left as a shining, black, fi'iable mass. 



D. A portion of the deposit was heated to redness in a test- 

 tube. It swelled up, partially fused, gave off a dense white 

 vapour, which condensed into drops of a light yellow empyreu- 

 matic oil, and left a bulky black charcoal. No odour of ammonia 

 could be perceived, nor were any white vapours produced by the 

 introduction of a rod moistened with hydrochloric acid into the 

 tube, thus proving the absence of nitrogen. The odour of the 

 vapour and of the oil was that of burnt vegetable matter. 



Quantitative Analysis, 



A. 39*7 grains, the whole of the purer organic matter sepa- 

 rable from the sand, digested with alcohol, spec. grav. 0*835, 

 yielded a deeji brownish-red solution. The whole of the soluble 

 matter was removed by repeated digestion with fresh portions of 

 alcohol until exhausted. The alcoholic solutions were mixed and 

 evaporated to dryness, leaving a brownish residue weighing 15*5 

 grains. During the evaporation, part of the waxy or resinous 

 matter separated and collected on the surface of the fluid. 



a. The alcoholic residue was treated with sether, which dis- 

 solved a considerable portion, forming a light reddish solution, 

 ^yhich reddened blue litmus-paper strongly. 



The setherial solutions, on evaporation to dryness, left a sohd 

 reddish-brown matter weighing 11"4 grains, which approached 

 more in consistence to wax than fat. This residue yielded 

 scarcely a tinge of colour to boiling water, on the surface of 

 which it melted and collected in drops. 



b. The undissolved residue («) was treated with cold distilled 

 water, which formed a vinous-red solution, leaving the undis- 

 solved matter almost colourless. The solution reddened litmus 

 rather strongly. On evaporation to dryness it left a brownish- 

 black matter, similar in most of its characters to the aqueous 

 extract {B), weighing 2"9 grains. Heated to redness, it first 

 fused, then swelled up enormously, leaving a voluminous char- 

 coal, which burned off very slowly and yielded 1*16 grain of ash. 



c. The residue of the successive action of setlier and water {b) 

 was treated with a boiling mixture of equal parts of aether and 

 alcohol, in which it wholly dissolved. The solution was yellowish, 



2 A2 



