of Mastodon Bones. 409 
to the collection in Harvard University, was given me by Dr. 
John B. S. Jackson. This bone had a dark brown color, was 
tough and firm, and had evidently undergone no decomposi- 
tion, though it had become penetrated somewhat with oxide 
of iron. 
On immersing portions of the bone in water acidulated with 
chlorohydric acid, the mineral matters and bone salts were 
removed, and the cartilage remaining was found to be much 
larger than the original bone, from its absorbing water after 
the removal of the phosphate of lime, &c. 
This cartilage, on being washed free from acid and boiled 
in Water, was converted into gelatine, which formed a good 
glue. On burning off the animal matter from a portion of the 
bone, there remained 57.4 per cent. of bone salts, and the 
animal matter was 42.6 per cent. The bone earth had a 
light brown color, owing to the presence of peroxide of iron. 
Analysis of the bones of the great Mastodon, belonging to 
Dr. John C. Warren. 
A portion of one of the vertebral spines was sent me for 
analysis, which gave the following results. One hundred 
grains on being pulverized and dried at a temperature a little 
above 919? F, lost 6 per cent. of water. On burning off the 
animal matter, 64 per cent. of bone salts remained, and 30 
Per cent. of animal matter was burnt out. The bone salts 
had a strong blue color, which was deeper than that of the 
artificial ultramarine formed by burning ordinary bones, and 
"as probably due to the presence of sub-phosphate of iron. 
Another portion of the bone, dried at 300° and then burnt, 
eft 72.97 per cent. of bone salts, and the animal matter 
Would amount to 27.73 per cent. There was some decom- 
Position of the cartilage in this case, so that the amount of 
animal matter is stated too low, the previous analysis being 
more exact, By immersing portions of this bone in diluted 
acid, the whole form of the bone was represented in carti- 
Us matter, and glue was made by boiling it in water. 
VOL. y, 97 
