Miscellaneous Intelligence. 297 
istry,” in which he gave a short account of some experiments he had 
made on certain hieroglyphical marks or letters that had been dis- 
covered on the wrappers of a mummy which was recently unrolled by 
Mr. Nash at this Institution; and he then stated it was his belief that 
the ancient Egyptians were acquainted with a marking fluid containing 
nitrate of silver for its basis, and were also familiar with the use of 
nitric acid. A short time afterwards, Mr. Denham Smith, in a reply to 
this letter, took exception to my father’s views on the subject ; and 
made of an argentine solution having employed some three thou- 
sand yea o as ‘ marking ink,’ totally dissented from the conclusions 
that had been founded on it, inasmuch, he said, as there was no evi- 
c 
of distillation. He also hazarded the opinion, unsupported, however, 
y direct evidence, that the marking-fluid in question was prepared—if 
I understand him aright—by dissolving either the chlorid or oxyd of 
P 
pon examining some of the fibres of the bandages that were 
Stained by the argentine ink, I found them to present a very peculiar 
external surfaces, were found small particles of some organic tissue, 
which were colored of a still deeper yellow than the fibres them- 
selves. On subjecting some of the latter to the action of strong liquor 
mmonie, the yellow portions, particularly the altered intercellular 
of ammonia; whereas, on the other hand, fibres that 
d been stained by solutions of chlorid of silver in ammo- 
‘ia were uniformly colored of a dark brown or and exhibited no 
trace of yellow coloration. 
Sxroonp Series, Vol. XVI, No. 47.—Sept., 1853. — 38 
