192 
Peruvian Guano. 
In order to determine the amount of ammonia existing in 
the shape of urate, sulphate, and other salts, the residue from 
which the volatile carbonate of ammonia was distilled off with 
water, was mixed with quick lime, some caustic soda, and a fresh 
quantity of distilled water, and after the acid in the receiver and 
bulb apparatus had been renewed, the contents of the retort were 
distilled nearly to dryness. 
The following were the results obtained : — 
No. 1. No. 2. No. 3.1 
Percentage of ammonia present as salts of I g.^g ^.q^ 
ammonia , J 
Adding the ammonia which occurred in these samples as 
volatile carbonate to that existing in the shape of non-volatile 
salts, we get in the first sample 6'54, in the second 6'84, and in 
the third 623 per cent, of ready-formed or actual ammonia; and 
as the total amount of ammonia to be furnished on ultimate de- 
composition amounted to 18-^ per cent, in round numbers, it will 
be seen that in good samples one-third of the total amount 
of ammonia which guano is capable of yielding is actual, and 
two-thirds potential ammonia, or, more correctly speaking, one- 
third of the nitrogen exists in ready-formed ammonia, and two- 
thirds in the form of uric acid, guanine, and other organic matters 
which readily yield ammonia on decomposition. 
The proportions of volatile and of fixed but ready-formed 
ammonia vary considerably in different samples. 
In dry and first-rate samples the ready-formed ammonia seldom 
exceeds to 7 per cent. ; the ammonia in a volatile condition 
usually amounts to J or £ per cent. In wet or damaged samples, 
on the other hand, the proportion both of volatile ammonia and 
of ready-formed but fixed ammoniacal salts is more considerable. 
The following determination indicates this difference. 
Percentage of free Ammonia in — 
1. A dry good sample '573 
2. Ditto -894 
3. Ditto .. ' 1-309 
4. Ditto 1-474 
5. Damaged guano 1-891 
6. Ditto 1-820 
7. Ditto 2-748 
There was but little of a pungent smell in the 4 good samples ; 
the 3 damaged specimens had a strong smell of ammonia. In 
No. 7 the amount of fixed ammonia was 9*944 per cent, which 
is considerably more than is found in some good guano. It 
follows from these remarks that a powerful pungent smell, to a 
certain extent indicates inferior quality. 
