Fossil Human Bones found in South America. 277 



a compound of the sulphite of the protoxide of platinum with the 

 sulphite of soda, but with a smaller quantity of the latter, than 

 the first described salt. Of this salt, after having been well 

 washed and dried at 100°, (Cen.) 



1. 0.884 grammes, gave 0.306 sulphate of soda, -0.134 soda, 

 and 0.410 platinum, =0.443 protoxide of platinum. 



2. 0.443 grammes, gave 0.487 sulphate of baryta, =0.134 sul- 

 phurous acid. 



These numbers correspond to the formula, (NaOSO a +Pt 

 OS0 2 ) + HO. 



According to which the salt contains in 100 parts, 



Calculated. 1. 2. 



15.17 

 50.13 



30.22 



The quantity of water was not directly determined, but esti- 

 mated from the loss. To obtain this salt in great quantity, is 

 difficult, because of its great solubility in water; and conse- 

 quently, when well washed in order to free it from all impurities, 

 but little remains upon the filter. Its solution in water has an 

 acid reaction, and is not precipitated by chloride of sodium ; but 

 in other respects, exhibits most of the properties of the first de- 

 scribed salt, when treated with acids and alkalies. 



Art. V. — On the occurrence of Fossil Human Bones of the pra- 

 historical world ; — extract of a letter from Dr. Lund of Logoa 

 Santa, South America, translated and communicated for this 

 Journal, by Rev. E. E. Salisbury, Professor of Oriental Lan- 

 guages in Yale College. 



TO PROFESSOR SILLIMAN. 



My dear Sir — As I was reading the " Cologne Gazette" for 

 the 9th of this month, the other day, my eye fell upon an article 

 entitled, " Fossil human bones of the prse-historical world." It 

 is an. extract from a, letter of Dr. Lund, of Lagoa Santa, S. A., 

 who, for the last six years has been engaged in examining the 

 animal remains found in the chalk caves of the interior of Brazil, 

 and is now publishing a work in the Danish language, which 

 bears the title, Blik paa Brasiliens Dyreverdu, &c., or, " A glance 



