204 Canrfield, Hillehrand, and Schaller — Mosesite, 



values are no moi-e than approximations. There is, however, 

 one marked chemical difference, whieli will be considered later. 



Spectroscopic tests, that \vere kindly made by Dr. P. G. 

 Nutting, at the Bureau of Standards, showed prominent mer- 

 cury and nitroi^en spectra and also the red line of hydrogen, 

 the last being ascribed by him to water vapor. A singular 

 feature of the behavior in vacuo was the immediate appearance, 

 when the current was turned on and before the application of 

 heat, of a mercury spectrum. The mineral was at the time 

 not between the electrodes, but far to the rear of one of them, 

 at the sealed end of the Plucker tube. Under these conditions 

 the color of the mineral fragments underwent a pronounced 

 and permanent change from bright yellow to a yellowish gray. 

 With a minute crystal of kleinite there was a mere indication 

 of the mercury lines before heating, and no color change was 

 observed. As soon as the temperature of mosesite was raised 

 to visible incipient decomposition, the spectra of both nitrogen 

 and mercury became brilliant. As mentioned by Mr. Canfield, 

 mosesite does not seem to undergo the color changes in sunlight 

 and darkness that appear to be characteristic of the deeper 

 colored crystals of kleinite. 



When heated in a narrow tube closed at one end, the color 

 changes and the sublimates were much like those afforded by 

 kleinite, and there was the same liberation of an active gas 

 that set free iodine from potassium iodide. Ammonium bro- 

 mide liberated ammonia as from kleinite. 



The behavior towards hydrochloric acid, noticed by Mr. 

 Canfield, affords a certain chemical means of distinguishing 

 mosesite from kleinite, where only these two are concerned. 

 When covered with concentrated hydrochloric acid mosesite is 

 entirely decomposed in a few hours, with separation of a cohe- 

 rent white material that shows the behavior of calomel. The 

 solution contains the sulphate and ammonium groups, beside 

 much mercuric mercury. Kleinite, on the other hand, shows no 

 perceptible change for a long time, but in the course of 48 

 hours a minute crystal of it was almost entirely decomposed. 

 There remained only a whitish residue that looked as if it 

 might be the clay matter that is such a persistent contaminant 

 of the mineral. It was free from calomel. 



It will be remembered that the chemical evidence points to 

 kleinite being a mixture or solution of mercury-ammonium 

 chloride with a mercuric sulphate and perhaps chloride. 

 There would seem to be an association of similar general char- 

 acter in mosesite, but with a mercurous sulphate or chloride 

 replacing in part or wholly the corresponding mercuric salts of 

 kleinite. 



