414 Analysis of the Excremenis of the Boa Constrictor. [June, 



tirely dissolved ; the solution, after some time, acquired a beautiful 

 deep rose or crimson colour, which stained the skin and other 

 animal matters of the same tinge. The colour, however, of the 

 solution, after some time, vanished irrecoverably. In short, it had 

 all the properties of vr'ic acid in the greatest state of purity. Its 

 quantity, as before stated, was 50 — 4'92 = 4508 ; that is to 

 say, 100 pts, of the excrement contained 90'1() of uric acid. 



' C. The dilute muriatic acid [A) which iiad acquired a yellowish 

 colour was divided into three equal portions : — 



1. To the first ammonia was added, so as just to neutralize the 

 acid. This occasioned a very faint cloudiness. Carbonate of am- 

 monia was now added, which produced no further precipitation. 



2. To the second portion ammonia v.as added as before ; but 

 instead of afterwards adding carbonate of ammonia, the oxalate of 

 ammonia was substituted, which produced a copious white precipi- 

 tate. 



3. The third portion of the dilute muriatic acid was carefully 

 evaporated to dryness. The residuum, after having been accurately 

 weighed, was exposed to a strong heat over a lamp. White dense 

 fumes arose in great abundance, which were muriate of ammonia. 

 After these had ceased to appear, the residuum was again weighed; 

 and in a mean of two experiments, it was found to have lost -9 gr. 



Now as — : •9 :: 100 : 5*4 parts of muriate of ammonia in 100 



parts which contained 1*7 of pure ammonia. 



II. — A. From I. c. 2, it appeared that the muriatic acid held 

 some lime in solution, but that it was prevented from being preci- 

 pitated by the carbonate of ammonia (I. c. 1.) on account of the 

 presence of animal matter, which was in a state of intimate union 

 with it. To determine, therefore, the quantity cf this lime more 

 particularly, and also whether any other saline matters were present, 

 20 grs. of'the excrements were burnt in a platinum crucible. The 

 residuum was a small quantity of saline and earthy matters, which 

 weighed r3(j gr. On this residuum was poured a little distilled 

 water, and heat applied. The water took up the alkaline salts, and 

 was then poured off, and evaporated to dryness. These salts, in a 

 mean of two experiments, weighed 120 gr. Acetic acid, on being, 

 poured on them, produced effervescence. After this addition, they 

 were again dried, and digested in alcohol. This took up the acetate 

 formed, which, on being decomposed at a red heat, left a quantity 

 of subcarbonate of potash, which weighed I'Ol gr. Now 1-01 x 

 5 = 5-05 subcarbonate of potash in 100 parts, equal to about 3 45 

 ])arts of pure potash. 



B. The residuum left by tlic alcohol was neutral, and weighed 

 •19 gr. It was found to consist chiefly of sulphate of potash, with 

 a trace of a muriate, probably of soda. Now 19 x 5 = -95 parts 

 of this mixture in 100 parts of the excrements. 



C. Muriatic acid was now added to the residuum (II. A.) not 

 taken up l>y the water, which dissolved the whole of it. To this 



