24 Shooting Stars. 
of oxyd of setae by nitric acid and acetate of lead ; but 
not by oxalate of lead. 
ome of the substance was shaken with alcohol, with no 
perceptible effect. Water being added, it combined with it, 
notwithstanding the alkohol. As it shrunk or diminished in 
size, its color changed, 
Liquid ammonia, whether warm or cold, acted but slightly 
upon it; on the other hand, 
A solution of caustic of potass speedily took hold of it; 
when warm, it produced a perfect solution, from which it 
might be precipitated by any neutral salt. 
ulphuric, nitric, and mutiatic acids, act on it cold; when 
warm, they effect a complete solution. The solution in ni- 
tric acid, is of rather a yellow color ; in sulphuric, it is brown ; 
and in muriatic, it remains clear. 
From these experiments it appears, that the substance can- 
not be of a nature similar to albumen, but that in its essen- 
tial properties it accords with gelatine, and resembles what 
is called spring slime, (quellsch em.) This conclusion is jus- 
tified by the following proportions of one hundred parts of 
the mass. | ! 
Gelatinous substance, . . . . . . 18,8 
- Animal substance, [7] a trace. 
Phosphate of potass and muriate of soda, ) 
- with organic [? ] acid, 
wa... 
100,0 
To what kingdom does this substance belong? or from 
what source is it derived? The existence of an organiza~- 
tion, which was clearly manifest, does not admit of the opin- 
ion that it came from the atmospheric regions, but shows 
t 
first made me suspect, that it was [an excretion from] the 
intestines Of some bird ; but its contents, a clean jelly, the 
thin pellicle or membrane that inclosed it, somewhat resem- 
bling the peritoneum, the absence of all ordinary contents of 
the intestines, dc. notwithstanding the similarity to some of 
their excretions, were insufficient to justify such a view, after 
a examination. The resemblance of this substance, 
as respects its chemical analysis, to the spawn of frogs, sug- 
