442 CHEMICAL NOTES — GENERAL, 



possible to state its identity. It was only when Mr. Deane removed the coating 

 that he was able to make out its true nature. These Cranky's Creek specimens 

 were collected and given to me by Mr. J. Turnbull, formerly of Avoca, near the 

 falls. 



Epsomite. — A small cave near the foot of the falls has its floor coated with 

 a beautiful velvet-like deposit of epsomite (MgS04+7H20). 



"Devil's Dice." — From my brother, Mr. F. W. Steel, I have received some 

 interesting pseudomorphs of iron pyrites. These come from the Taiga River, W. 

 Australia, where they are locally known as "Devil's Dice." I have no informa- 

 tion regarding their origin or mode of occurrence other than that they are found 

 loose amongst gravel in the bed of the stream. In size they vary from 2 to 8 

 mm. faces. Analysis is given below. I have deposited all the above described 

 specimens in the Australian Museum, Sydney. 



Siderite. — Point Danger, where the dividing line between Queensland and 

 New South Wales strikes the coast, consists of a bold mass of porphyritic dokrite 

 capped by a bed of volcanic ash and resting on the upturned edges of ( ?) Ordo- 

 vician schist which lies at a high angle, being almost on edge, dipping to the 

 west and striking almost north and south. The schist is burnt and altered by 

 contact with the dolerite. Scattered through the dolerite are numerous masses of 

 a spathic mineral which externally bear a strong resemblance to kidney iron ore 

 and which on analysis proved to be siderite. 



The analyses of the specimens described above are as under. 



Stalagmite, Incrustation, "Devil's Dice," 

 Fairv Dell. Cranky's Creek Falls. W. Australia. 



Ferric oxide (Fe203) .. ■ 75.45 78.10 81.60 



Lime (CaO) p' 0.15 — — 



Magnesia (MgO) bn 0.37 — — 



Silica (SiOz) W 8.51 4.25 8.00 



Water at 150°C 7.30 9.75 1.07 



Water -I- 8.15 7.25 9.24 



Siderite, 

 Point Danger. 



Ferrous carbonate (FeCOs) 88.22 



Ferric oxide (FeoO.,) .. .. 6.53 



Calcic carbonate (CaCOs) 2.40 



Magnesia carbonate (MgCOg) 2.50 



Silica (SiOa) 0-« 



100.05 



II. Coral lime, Fiji. 



The natives of Fiji make use of a paste of coral lime and water which they 

 smear through their hair for the purpose of cleansing and bleaching it. The 

 paste is rubbed well into the hair which is then plastered onto the top of the 

 head, the native going about for a day or so and then washing the lime out, the 

 hair being then plentifully anointed with coco-nut oil. The hair which is 

 naturally da.rk in colour becomes by this treatment of a tawny-brown tint. 



The lime is prepared by burning coral in wood fires. 



The analysis shows decarbonation to have been very imperfect, but if the 

 burning were more perfect the product would have a destructive effect on the 

 hair and skin. 



