SILICATE OF SODA. 5*3 



In conclusion I desire to express my indebtedness and 

 sincere thanks to Dr. W. G. Woolnough of the University 

 of Sydney, and Dr. O. Anderson of the Australian Museum, 

 Sydney, for their constant help and advice and their kind- 

 ness in placing the specimens at my disposal. 



AnoCT two years ago I exhibited at one of tin- Society's 

 meetings some growths which 1 had obtained by placing 

 crystals of various salts in a weak solution of silicate of 

 soda (water glass). The exhibit excited considerable 

 interest, and those present could offer no explanation of the 

 phenomena observed. Since then I have continued my 

 experiments and have also consulted a good deal of litera- 

 ture to find out if systematic work has been done upon the 

 subject. Beyond allusions in one or two text books to the 

 fact that crystals develop shoots when placed in silicate 

 of soda, I have found nothing of importance. It appears 

 to me, therefore, advisable to place on record the results 

 I have obtained so far, especially as I regard them not 

 merely as curious facts, but as worthy of systematic study 

 and discussion, as to the causes to which they are due, and 

 also as tending possibly to throw light on phenomena con- 

 nected with chemistry, physics, geology, and it may be 



