1869.] 



Mr. J. P. Harrison on Solar Radiation. 



515 



There cannot then, I think, be any doubt whatever that jargonium is 

 not only a new elementary substance, but is also one likely to throw much 

 light on several important physical questions. By the time that the Society 

 resumes its meetings, I trust that I shall be able to send a complete 

 account of the whole of my investigations, including such facts connected 

 with other substances as may serve to illustrate the very peculiar properties 

 of this hitherto unrecognized element. 



Postscript. Received June 18, 1869. 



I here subjoin a brief account of the methods employed by Mr. 

 David Forbes* and myself in separating zirconia and jargonia from 

 one another. He separated apparently pure zirconia by means of strong 

 hydrochloric acid, which dissolved the chloride of jargonium, but left chlo- 

 ride of zirconium undissolved; and obtained the approximately pure jar- 

 gonia by adding to the solution excess of ammonia, and then considerable 

 excess of tartaric acid, which left most of the tartrate of jargonia insolu- 

 ble, but dissolved what may turn out to be a mixture of zirconia and jar- 

 gonia with a third substance, not yet sufficiently studied — perhaps S van- 

 berg's noria. My own analysis was only qualitative. I fused powdered 

 jargon with several times its weight of borax, which gave a perfectly clear 

 glass, completely soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid. After separating the 

 silica in the usual manner, a slight excess of ammonia was added to the 

 hydrochloric-acid solution of the earths, and then some oxalic and hydro- 

 chloric acids, which left undissolved apparently pure zirconia that had 

 passed into an imperfectly soluble state. To the solution so much am- 

 monia was added as to give a very copious precipitate, but yet to leave the 

 solution with a very decided acid reaction. After removing the precipi- 

 tate, which was chiefly oxalate of zirconia, almost or quite free from jar- 

 gonia, excess of ammonia was added to the solution, and the washed 

 precipitate digested in dilute hydrochloric acid, to remove peroxide of iron. 

 The insoluble portion must have been approximately pure oxalate of jar- 

 gonia, for it gave the characteristic spectra described below in remark- 

 able perfection. Though this method succeeded far better than I antici- 

 pated, I do not yet understand the exact conditions requisite to ensure 

 success, and have been prevented by absence from home from making 

 further experiments. 



IX. " Solar Radiation." By J. Park Harrison, M.A. Com- 

 municated by Prof. Stokes, Sec. R.S. Received June 12, 

 1869. 



In a communication which the author had the honour of making to the 



* Chemical News, June 11, 1869, vol. six. p. 277. 



