1835.] Soilness of the Red Sea. 509 



"Some of the large species of plants have been determined. Daubenton 

 describes the Lichen rangiferinus and digitatus, plants possessed of forms which 

 no minerals could imitate." 



This account is accompanied with an engraving of a plant (a hypnum) 

 occurring in Chalcedony, which agrees with a few in my collection ; 

 but a great many others, I dare say, are undescribed plants in a fossil 

 state, and worthy the notice of the scientific world. 



It cannot be otherwise than interesting to the Geologists of Europe, 

 as well as to those in India, to have a description of the various 

 species of fossil plants occurring in the Sone agates, with engravings 

 of a few of the largest ones ; and I will endeavour shortly to supply 

 such a desideratum through your Journal as the fittest for such a 

 purpose. 



VIII. — Chemical Analyses. By Jas. Prinsep, Sec. Sjc. 

 Under this head we propose to insert the examinations of various 

 substances sent to us by friends, of which they will be better able to 

 look for the results here than in detached miscellaneous notices. — Ed. 

 1. — Saltness of the Red Sea. 

 The Hugh Lindsay, Steamer, having given currency to the report 

 that the Red Sea contained more salt than the ocean, and that in con- 

 sequence she had been obliged to blow off much more frequently 

 while in that part of her voyage, Lieutenant Burnes, on his return to 

 India on board of her, took the precaution of filling two bottles, one 

 with the water of the Red Sea, the other with that of the Arabian 

 Sea, which he was so kind as to send to me under charge of Lieutenant 

 Frasek. (See Proc. Asiatic Society, page 410.) 



After being allowed to stand for some hours side by side, to acquire 

 the same temperature, their specific gravity was taken in the most 

 accurate manner. 



No. 1, Arabian Sea water, spec. grav. 1-0254 at 86°1 



2, Red Sea water, 1-0258 at 86°-2 



The difference is certainly in favor of the latter, but it is much too 

 small to cause any sensible effect in the blowing off. 



Equal portions of the two were then analysed by the usual chemical 

 tests, although the hydrometer result would have been quite sufficient 

 to found a judgment upon. It was thought that perhaps the lime might 

 be in excess in the one case, and thus cause a quicker incrustation 

 in the boilers ; but both waters on evaporation began to be turbid 

 at the same time. The analysis was chiefly directed to the determin- 

 ation of the sulphuric acid and lime, the rest being performed in a 

 rapid manner j the results were as follows on one cubic inch of each : 

 3 u 



