Prof. Liversidge—Moa Egg-shell. 547 
found to be a readily combustible nitrogenous body; under the 
microscope it presented traces of an organized structure. 
A careful qualitative analysis was made of a portion of the shell, 
and in addition to calcium carbonate, alumina (with traces of iron), 
phosphoric acid, magnesia, sulphur, potash and soda were found to 
be present, the latter three were in very small quantity and no estima- 
tion of the amounts was attempted. 
ANALYSIS. 
Moisture driven off at 100° C......... DB istaaatecets ar dane 20 
@arhonie aed. sae a's walesrsistereia.e 40°05 
Phosphate of alumina with traces of iron abodotna ccée 229 
LEAS Si EA Ba oR cae dot awidiver 6 secGi oor . 53°65 
“Phosphate of magnesia .......cceseueenes revatg/halate : at Wy 
Phosphoric acid ....... si slelSuervid sieb ic cuncrateretn trae aretars 59 
WEGEMIG TAILED e.¢ stare sig 6. crsiaceicbelafests sirial eitinetareien qeisietee 4°90 
Undetermined, including traces of sulphur, potash and soda 1d 
100°00 
The above results calculated out to the proximate constituents 
give the following :— 
Calcium carbonate ........ 0.000. hore ee eceece 91°02 
AME DHOSDOALG  Saccuse de aaa. Wal-)siaust 5 giacsta) aeaytetsnere 1-29 
Magnesium phosphate (Me3(Pos)2) ....ceee cece eee cil 
Aluminum phosphate with traces of iron (Al, (Po aa) chic 29 
WOMAN asides cad close u eo ae odes Coie use Redden es 1-98 
Oreanicmaitiiers 2%5:ide'y Feats hetasiertel agalecd we) edara tales 4:90 
Traces of sulphur, soda, and potash, undetermined ...... 15 
Moisture driven off at 100°C ....... ccc coun snhina bose 20 
100-00 
The amount of organic matter was determined by the loss on 
ignition after deducting the carbonic acid and moisture present ; thus: 
Loss on ignition (carbonic acid, moisture and organic matter) = 45°157 
Less carbonic acid 40°05% and moisture -20% = 40°25 
. organic matter.... = 4:90 
This organic matter probably in part consisted of albumen, since 
both sulphur and soda were present; the acetic acid solution also, 
from which the flocculent organic matter had been filtered, became 
turbid on boiling, thus affording an additional confirmatory reaction 
for albumen. I much regret that the small quantity of shell at my 
disposal did not permit me to prosecute this part of the inquiry 
further. 
The phosphates of alumina and of magnesia were determined by 
dissolving out the phosphate of magnesia by means of acetic acid 
from the precipitate containing the mixed phosphates thrown down 
by ammonia; the amount of iron present was so small that it was 
disregarded. 
It will be noticed that 1:98 per cent. of lime in the above results 
is uncombined with any acid; it therefore probably existed as an 
organic compound, perhaps as an albuminate. The amount of car- 
bonie acid found in the shell itself was 40:05 per cent., but on 
treating the ignited residue (of quick lime) with ammonium carbonate, 
and again determining the carbonic acid, 41:48°/, was found, or an 
excess of 1:43°/, over and above that furnished by the original shell 
