312 report — 1879. 



tillates, a coke, and a volatile non-condeDsable gas. In this operation 58-29 grains 



were used, and yielded : — 



Grains 



1st Distillate 5-65 



2nd „ 11-35 



3rd „ 21-33 



4th „ 14-72 



Total volatile condensable products 53-05 



Coke 2-28 



Uncondensable gas 2-96 



58-29 

 Calculated to percentages, the residts stand : — 



Per cent 



1st Distillate 9-694 



2nd „ 19-471 



3rd „ 36-592 



4th „. . 25-253 



Volatile condensable products 91-010 



Coke 3-911 



Uncondensable gas 5078 



99-999 



When first heated the substance fused and frothed, and on the further 

 application of heat gave the first distillate, which was of a gray colour, somewhat 

 mobile, and had a disagreeable odour. The second distillate was black in colour, 

 fully more mobile than the first distillate, and also possessed a most disagreeable 

 odour. Tbe third portion was more mobile than the second, had a yellow colour, 

 and a marked paraffin odour. The fourth distillate was obtained after raising the 

 heat, had a yellow-red colour, was liquid whilst hot, but turned solid on cooling, 

 and had also a paraffin odour. The uncondensable gaseous matter readily burned 

 on the application of a white light, gave a pale non-luminous flame, and possessed 

 all the chemical properties of methane or marsh gas (CH 4 ). The carbon left in 

 the retort added to the amount of uncondensable gas gives 8-989 per cent., and on 

 calculating the uncondensable gas into ethylene or olefiantgas (C 2 H 4 ), the result ob- 

 tained is 8-88G, or nearly identical. These results go far to show that the bituminous- 

 like matter of the nodule consists of a member or members of the olefine (0 2 H 4 ) 

 series of organic compounds — a point which is further strengthened by the fact that 

 the carbon and hydrogen in the original substance are contained therein in almost 

 exactly the necessary proportions to form an olefine. 



It is probable that the source of the contents of the nodule lies in one of the 

 coal or shale beds abounding in the district, and that a low internal heat has dis- 

 tilled the material from its parent stratum. That the heat was low, or certainly not 

 above a cherry-red, is certain, else the olefine would have been split up into a 

 member of the methane or CHj group of organic substances, accompanied by a 

 deposition of free carbon. 



11. On Some Curious Concretion Balls derived from a Colliery Mineral 

 Water. By Thomas Andrews, F.C.S. 



The water on which these observations were made was collected from the 

 ' sump ' of the Wortley Silkstone Colliery, a small pit situated near the ' Bassett ' or 

 ' outcrop ' of the great Silkstone seam of coal ; the samples being obtained during 

 typical dry and rainy seasons. The water had percolated from the surface a 

 distance of 35 yards, through strata, as indicated on the accompanying table. 



The bottom layer in which the water lodged was the Silkstone seam of coal, 

 here some 5 feet in thickness. 



One noticeable feature of this water is, that it always gives an acid reaction 

 with blue litmus paper. 



Several analyses of this water made at various times indicate that the chief 





