71 
Many of these are very well known under the names of 
marsh gas, petroleum, ozocerite, asphaltum, naphtha, par- 
affin, bitumen, amber, torbanite, coal, and its vaiieties. 
Some of these singular minerals a.re obtained only from 
bogs and peat beds. 
Some time ago Mr. Plant showed to the Section a quan- 
tity of one of these resinous minerals, which occurred under 
the bark of pine logs found in a moss at Handforth by Mr. 
P. G. Cunliffe. It proved to be known in Germany as 
Fichtelite, but had not before been known to occur in Great 
Britain. Afterwards it was found in pine logs in the peat 
on Lindow Common. A waxy, greasy, or butter-like 
character is distinctive of these bog products. The one now 
exhibited was described first by Brazier in 1 825, and was 
analysed by Williamson in 1815, its composition being 
given as 
Carbon 73'78 
Hydrogen 12-50 
Oxygen 13-72 
When fresh from the bog it is soft and like butter, but 
hardens in drying. The mass is dirty and bogstained on 
the outside, but inside pure white and free from impurities. 
It melts at 50° C., and becomes a yellow greasy resin, 
dissolves in alcohol or in ether, and then crystallizes in 
beautiful needles. When heated it gives off a peculiar 
odour like acroline. By saponification with potash it yields 
an acid which Brazier proves to have a composition similar 
to palmitic acid. 
There is a mineral waxy resin called Guyaquillite, which 
is found in extensive deposits in the marshy plains near 
Guyaquil, in South America, which has a similar composi- 
tion to bog butter. 
Johnson gives it as — 
Carbon 76-67 
Hydrogen 8-17 
Oxygen 15-16 
It has been proved that the slow decomposition or change 
in the vegetable peat or moss will pi-oduce elements of 
which these hydrocarbons are made. 
