MANURE. 155 



Compact horny matter includes hair, horn, nails, 

 claws, hoofs, scales. Like all the other compounds 

 of protein, these contain sulphur, lime, magnesia, 

 &c, and from 1-2 to 2 per cent, of bone earth. 

 The effect of these as phosphates, has been adver- 

 ted to, section 169. These all give varied portions 

 of ashes. The beard gives about 0*72 per cent.; 

 blond colored hair, 0*3, and the black hair of a Mex- 

 ican, 0*2; nails, 0*5 ; wool, 2, and bone, 0*7 per 

 cent, of ashes. These all evolve ammonia by caus- 

 tic alkali, an effect, which might have been predicted 

 from their composition, which is, according to 

 Scherer : 



Hair affords a substance, in addition to its protein, 



and to which feathers are analogous. The compo- 

 sition of the last is — 



Carbon, 52-427 



Hydrogen, 7-213 



Nitrogen, 17-893 



Oxygen, 22*467 



