384 AURORAL APPEARANCES. Appendix D. 



b. — ANHYDROUS EARTH. 



Humic acid 3*89 



Humine .......... 4 61 



Undecomposed vegetable matter. . . . . 20*98 



Peroxide of iron and manganese 7'05 



Alumina 8*95 



Siliceous matter, insoluble in dilute hydrochloric acid. 54*52 

 Traces of soda and muriatic acid. . . 



100*00 



c. — Soluble in water, gr. 1*26 per cent., consisting of soda, muriatic acid, 

 organic matter, and silica. 



The soil from which this example was taken was twelve inches 

 deep ; it abounded to the eye in vegetable matter, and was siliceous 

 to the touch. There were no traces of phosphates or of animal 

 matter, and doubtful traces of lime and potash. The subsoil of clay 

 gave only 5*7 per cent, of water, and 5.55 of organic matter. The 

 above analysis was conducted during the rainy month of September, 

 and the sample is an average one of the surface-soil at 6000 to 10,000 

 feet. There is, I think, little difference anywhere in the soils at this 

 elevation, except where the rock is remarkably micaceous, or where 

 veins of felspathic granite, by their decomposition, give rise to small 

 beds of kaolin. 



D. 



(Vol. i., p. 37.) 



AN ATTROKA SEEN FROM BABOON ON THE EAST BANK OF THE 



SOANE RIVEE. 



Lat. 24° 52' N.; Long. 84° 22' E. ; Alt. 345 feet. 



The following appearances are as noted in my journal at the 

 time. They so entirely resembled auroral beams, that I had no 

 hesitation in pronouncing them at the time to be such. This 

 opinion has, however, been dissented from by some meteorologists, 

 who consider that certain facts connected with the geographical 

 distribution of auroras (if I may use the term), are opposed to it. I 

 am well aware of the force of these arguments, which I shall not 

 attempt to controvert ; but for the information of those who may be 

 interested in the matter, I may remark, that I am very familiar with 



