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of decayed leaves ; and the dung tends to bring the 

 vegetable matter into a state of solution. 



The dung of domestic fowls approaches very near- 

 ly in its nature to pigeons' dung. Uric acid has been 

 found in it. It gives carbonate of ammonia by distilla- 

 tion, and immediately yields soluble matter to water. 

 It is very liable to ferment. 



The dung of fowls is employed in common with 

 that of pigeons by tanners to bring on a slight degree 

 of putrefaction in skins that are to be used for making 

 soft leather ; for this purpose the dung is diffused 

 through water. In this state it rapidly undergoes pu- 

 trefaction, and brings on a similar change in the skin. 

 The excrements of dogs are employed by the tanner 

 with similar effects. In all cases, the contents of the 

 grainer, as the pit is called in which soft skins are pre- 

 pared by dung, must form a very useful manure. 



Rabbits 9 dung has never been analysed. It is 

 used with great success as a manure by Mr. Fane, 

 who finds it profitable to keep rabbits in such a man- 

 ner as to preserve their dung. It is laid on as fresh 

 as possible, and is fourid better the less it has fer- 

 mented. 



The dung of cattle^ oxen and cow s, has been che- 

 mically examined by M. M. Einhof and Thaer. They 

 found that it contained matter soluble in water ; and 

 that it gave in fermentation nearly the same products 

 as vegetable substances, absorbing oxygene and pro- 

 ducing carbonic acid gas. 



The recent dung of sheep, and of deer, afford, 

 when long boiled in water, soluble matters, which 



