1866.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 137 



various stages of its progress. Simple oxidation would convert sul- 

 phide of iron into sulphate of iron, and the only way of accounting 

 for the further change into peroxide is by the action of bicarbonate of 

 lime, or even bicarbonate of magnesia, or of the alkalies in presence 

 of excess of carbonic acid and water, by which the sulphuric acid is 

 removed in combination with the earth or alkali. By such a process 

 peroxide of iron would be left in combination with water. This is 

 the explanation given by Bischof in his Chemical Geology, (Cav. 

 Soc. Trans., Yol. III., p. 452), in which he cites observations corrobo- 

 rative of the theory, and also notices the observations of others 

 (Ullmann and Sillem) in which red hematite or anhydrous peroxide 

 was found completely *or partially in place of brown hematite or the 

 hydrated peroxide, giving it as his opinion that the production of 

 red hematite takes place subsequently to that of hydrated peroxide, 

 and not directly from iron pyrites. 



" These crystals exemplify these changes. Some of them consist of 

 peroxide of iron only, with some water and a little siliceous earth : 

 one crystal gave 2.0 siliceous, 4.78 water, and the remainder peroxide 

 of iron. As brown hematite contains 14.76, and another hydrate 

 10.36 p. c. of water, the above is evidently a mixture of hydrated and 

 anhydrous peroxide. Some of the crystals contain a few small bright 

 specks of sulphide of iron, others a large hard nucleus of the same. 

 One crystal when broken was observed to be partially hollow, and the 

 matter in the centre was soft and of an ochry appearance, very proba- 

 bly in the state of subsulphate. They are in the state of well formed 

 isolated cubical crystals. It would have been interesting to have 

 known the particulars of their locality and probable origin, and appli- 

 cation was made for these particulars, but without success. I only 

 learned that they were found in India, on the surface of the ground." 



The following gentlemen, duly proposed and seconded at the last 

 meeting, were balloted for, and elected as ordinary members. 



A. Anderson, Esq. ; M. H. Ormsby, Esq. ; J. H. Mathews, Esq. 



Letters from J. Strachey,Esq., C. S., J. M. Scott, Esq., J.C. Sarkies, 

 Esq., Baboos Jodunauth Mookerjee and Kally Prosono Dutt, intimating 

 their desire to withdraw from the Society, were recorded. 



The following letter from E. Thomas, Esq. and notice of an address 

 delivered by the writer at the Royal Asiatic Society, were read. 



