488 EEPORT— 1882. 



last meeting. They can now give some particulars ■which they have since learned 

 concerning the nature of this occurrence. 



They obtained large quantities of the deposit from the chambers of the Govern- 

 ment sulphuric acid works at Osaka, and foimd therein both selenium and 

 tellurium ; but all the specimens they could get of the sulphur burnt at these 

 works failed to yield these substances. Apparently the stock there of telluriferous 

 sulphur had been all consumed, and as these works have now ceased to be used, 

 no new supplies of sulphur come to them. There are, however, private works at 

 Osaka— the Kawaguchi Sulphuric Acid Works — and from these they have got a 

 sulphur, a specimen of which will be exhibited to the meeting. This sulphur is 

 quite different from ordinary sulphur in colour, being reddish-yellow. It has long 

 been distinguished by the Japanese from ordinary sulphur xmder the name of seki, 

 riu seki, massive red sulphur. The sulphur, of which a specimen is exhibited, is 

 stated to come from Iwoshima (sulphur island) off the south of Japan. A speci- 

 men of sulphur not so red in colour in the mineralogical museum of this College, 

 and labelled ' From Iwoshima,' also contains selenium and tellurium. Another speci- 

 men in this collection of minerals, closely resembling that exhibited, and containing 

 these rare substances, is labelled as coming from the province of Echiu (Ishikawa 

 prefecture) in the west of Japan. 



The specimen exhibited is not the sulphur in its native form, but in a refined 

 state obtained by liquation, and the same appears to be the case of the specimens in 

 the College museum. It will be seen to be a mixture of j-ellow and red sulphiu*. 

 The yellow they have found to contain only traces of tellurium and selenium. 



The red sulphur has been analysed with the following results. For this 

 analysis they are indebted to Mr.Tetsukichi Shimidzu, a student of chemistry in their 

 College, who kindly consented to work with them lately, as they were pressed for 

 time in consequence of the specimen of red sulphm- having been only lately obtained. 



Composition of Telluriferous Sulphur. 



Per-centage. 



Tellurium 0-17 



Selenium 0-0(3 



Arsenic .......... O'Ol 



Non-identified substance ...... — 



Earthy non-volatile matters, only a trace 



Sulphur, by difference, nearly 99"76 



100-00 



The occurrence of tellurium along with sulphur, belonging as these elements 

 do to the same chemical group, is, the authors think, of particular interest, as 

 hitherto tellurium has been only found in the pure state, or more commonly, like 

 sulphur, in combination with metals. 



They have done much work upon the deposit from the vitriol chambers, and 

 the tellurium and selenium they have separated from it, but they wish now only to 

 lay an account of the composition of this deposit before the meeting, thereby to 

 complete the natural history of the subject, as they hope to publish on a future oc- 

 casion the results of their other work. 



The mud-like deposit settled down on standing, leaving a pale jellow acid, 

 supernatant liquid, which was principally dilute sulphuric acid, and which had 

 a specific gravity of 1-15. Its colour was due to ferric sulphate, present in not 

 inconsiderable quantity. The authors obtained from one litre of this liquid 



Tellurium, 0-37 grams. 

 Selenium, 0-15 „ 



They abstain from giving analytical details at present. 



The deposit was drained of its liquor as far as practicable upon a filter, was 

 purposely not washed, and was air-dried in the sun. Its analysis gave the 

 following results : — 



i 



