Pond. — On Strata from Mount Eden. 



405 



If solution of ammonia be added to the solution of the colouring matter in 

 glycerine, it completely bleaches it without communicating any green tint, I 

 propose to call this colouring principle Palmellin. 



The Palmellin appears to be present in the Hcematococcus in combination 

 with chlorophyll. I am unable to arrive at any conclusion as to what acted 

 as the solvent of the Palmellin in the case of the tinted wool. 



Dr. Haast has given me a specimen of wool deeply tinted of a dingy olive 

 green off a sheep on Mr. Studholme's station, Waimate. The idea occurred 

 to us that possibly this also might be coloured by some cryptogam. I find that 

 the green colouring matter is soluble in spirit ; it is certainly not chlorophyll, 

 giving no definite absorption spectrum. It is probably some mineral dye, but 

 I am unable to say what. 



Accompanying these notes is a diagram of the spectrum of Palmellin, 

 compared with that of fresh blood, which is always at hand for comparison. 





LXVII 



Mr. Firth's Well 



s of some of the Strata fi 

 By J. A. Poxd. 



[Bead before the Auckland Institute, 2lst September, 1874.] 



In bringing this subject before the Society, it was not so much with a view 

 of adding largely to the evidence relative to the constituents of the strata in 

 question, as to keep alive the interest exhibited by the fact of the discovery of 

 vegetable markings two hundred feet below the base of Mount Eden. In 

 considering the different strata gone through, I have confined my attention 

 chiefly to those marked d and c on Mr. Firth's plan,* as the c stratum 

 contains the earliest vestiges of organic impressions, and the difference in 

 colour between the adjoining earth led me to choose these two more promi- 

 nently. 



The samples in question differ slightly in their chemical composition, the 



following being the analysis of d and c samples : 



d. 



Silica... 



9 ■ » 



• • • 



66 3 



Sesquioxide of iron 12 '1 

 Alumina ... ... 19*3 



Lime... ... ... *7 



Chloride of sodium... a trace 

 Water 4* 



102-4 



'ICO . 



c. 





Silica... 



* • • • • « 



75*5 



Sesquioxide 



of iron 



174 



Alumina 



• • 9 • • • 



71 



Lime . . . 



• • • • • ■ 



11 



Chloride of J 



5 odium... 



a trace 



Water 



• ■ • i • t 



2- 



103 1 



quantity 



reduced to peroxide. 



* See table at end of Art. LXXV. 



