Flint — Researches upon the Complexity of Telhirium. 219 



tion filtered twice on asbestos, and evaporated to dryness. The 

 final product, which was is^nited nearly to redness, consisted of 

 about one-tenth of a gram of a pale green powder. 



The color of two of these substances suggested possible con- 

 tamination by iron : that of the third by copper, or perhaps 

 tungsten. No slightest traces of either iron or copper can 

 be discovered by the usual tests. In hydrochloric acid solution 

 all three give, with stannous chloride, black precipitates, simi- 

 lar to telhirium. No bismuth or antimon}' can be detected. 

 In fact, all reactions so far tried appear to be identical with 

 those given by tellurium, with one exception. When an excess 

 of ammonia is added to a solution of the green substance in 

 hydrochloric acid, the precipitate obtained by neiitralization of 

 the acid is not completely dissolved by the excess of the alkali. 

 The liquid filtered from this throws out a black substance, 

 apparently tellurium, when acidified and treated with stannous 

 chloride. The precipitate which did not dissolve in the excess of 

 ammonia, when dissolved, after thorough washing, in hydrochlo- 

 ric acid, gives also a black precipitate with the same reagent. 

 Since tungstic oxide is soluble in ammonia, but is not precipi- 

 tated (although reduced to lower oxides) by stannous chloride, 

 the presence of tungsten is apparently disproved. It is besides 

 difficult to understand how an element having a fusing point 

 above 3000° C. could be volatilized with the tellurium in the 

 process of distillation at a very much lower temperature than 

 this. 



By the use of a greater quantity of material, the investiga- 

 tor proposes to extract sufficient amounts of these products to 

 enable him to determine their nature. This work is already 

 begun, and a report upon it will be made as soon as it can be 

 completed. 



