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16 F. V. Greene on the composition of remains of Mammalia. 
Art. Il.—Chemical Investigation of Remains of Fossil Mam- 
mala; by Francis V. Greene, M.D. 
Ar the request of Dr. F. A. Genth, I have made in his labora- 
tory a chemical investigation of several fossil remains, collected 
by D. D.-Owen, M.D., in his late survey of Nebraska Territory ; 
the specimens having been kindly furnished me by Dr. Jos. Leidy, 
from the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences. e 
specimens consisted of a portion of bone from a Titanotherium, 
the enamel and dentine from a tooth of the same animal, and a 
portion of the tibia of the Archzotherium. 
The general outline of the methods used is as follows: 
The finely powdered substance, being always dried over sul- 
phuric acid, was dissolved (according to H. Rose’s method -for 
the determination of phosphoric acid), in nitric acid, and after 
adding mercury in sufficient quantity to combine with the phos- 
phoric acid, evaporated to dryness in a water-bath ; afterwards it 
was moistened with water, and again evaporated to dryness; this 
operation being repeated until no odor of nitric acid could be ob- 
served at the temperature of the water-bath. T'o this dried mass 
water was now added. ‘The insoluble portion consisted of noth- 
ing but phosphate and basic nitrate of mercury (except in one 
analysis, in which iron existed in a determinable quantity); the 
solution contained fluorid of calcium with the other constituents 
in the form of nitrates. The insoluble portion was separated b 
filtration, and, after being washed and thoroughly dried, was 
fused with carbonate of soda, with all the precautions mentioned 
by Rose. ‘The fused mass consisting only of phosphate of soda 
and the excess of carbonate of soda, dissolved therefore com- 
pletely in water, except in one instance, in which a portion of the 
iron remaining undissolved was filtered off, and determined in the 
usual manner. ‘The watery solution was acidulated with hydro- 
of ammonia. As carbonate of lime and fluorid of calcium are 
PMR ie BRATS A oe Os, 
ecntelibatieuieeins 
