[Assembly 
were sunk in this hill the acid accumulated, and also in the depressions 
of the contiguous meadow grounds. 
There is another locality of a similar kind a hundred rods west of 
Byron hotel, and two miles east of the former, which is remarkable, in 
consequence of the great quantity of acid. It is a spring which issues 
from the earth, in sufficient volume to turn a light grist mill. Such an 
immense laboratory of sulphuric acid is here conducted by nature, that 
all the water which supplies this perennial stream possesses acidity enough 
to give the common test with violets, and to coagulate milk. Besides 
the above, there are said to be several other sour springs in this vici- 
nity.* 
I have particularly examined both the liquid acid and the brownish 
vegetable matter subjected to its action. 
The liquid is transparent and colourless; and in the specimen upon 
which I operated, had a specific gravity of 1 .11304 at 60° F. It red- 
dens litmus powerfully, has an intensely sour taste, causes a dense pre- 
cipitate when added to muriate of barytes, but is not affected by nitrate 
of silver. When ammonia is added to the liquid to saturation, a slight 
precipitate of a reddish color is the result, and the clear solution is af- 
terwards also slightly affected by oxalate of ammonia. The oxide of 
iron and lime indicated by the two lalter tests are, however, in very 
small proportion, as is evident from the fact that when the liquid is eva- 
porated it leaves only a trifluig residuum. It is a nearly pure, though 
dilute, sulphuric acid, and not a solution of acid salts, as has been sup- 
posed; for the bases are in too minute proportions to warrant the latter 
opinion. 
The brownish matter, or acid earthy is principally vegetable matter, 
charred by the action of the acid; but it also contains some silica and 
alumina, with a minute quantity of lime and oxide of iron. When this 
matter is boiled in water, a solution is obtained which possesses all the 
properties of the liquid just described. When heated for some time in 
a crucible to redness, the acid and vegetable matter disappear, and there 
remain a little sulphuret of calcium, formed by the decomposition of 
the acid and the lime, a trace of iron, together with the earthy matters 
above mentioned. I could not detect, either in the liquid, or in the so- 
lution of the earth, any other salt than those which I have already enu- 
merated, unless, indeed, there should be some sulphate of alumine present. 
EatoD in SillinutQ'g Journal, XV, 239. 
