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 Hoematococcus 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 j 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. 



Art. LXVII. — Notes on the Chemical Properties of some of the Strata from 

 Mr. Firth's Well at Mount Eden. By J. A. Pond. 



[Bead before the Auckland Institute, 2\st 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. c. 



SiHca 66-3 



Silica 75-5 



Sesquioxide of iron 12 -1 



Sesquioxide of iron 17 '4 



Alumina , 19"3 



Alumina ... ... 7'1 



Lime... ... ... "7 



Lime I'l 



Chloride of sodium... a trace 



Chloride of sodium... a trace 



Water 4- 



Water 2* 



102-4 103-1 



The excess is owing to protoxide of iron in small quantity in both samples 

 reduced to peroxide. 



* See table at end of Art. LXXV. 



