126 
Mr. Henry Barnes, of Birmingham, took samples for analysis, 
and kindly sent me the results of his experiments, with permis¬ 
sion to publish them. He identified the substances as the mineral 
Melanterite, which is a native Hydrated Sulphate of Iron, having 
the chemical composition FeS 0 4 -F 7 H 2 0 . This opinion was con¬ 
firmed by Mr. Spencer, of the Naturaf History Museum, South 
Kensington. The mineral is associated with gummy and resinous 
matter, which, when dissolved in alcohol, gives a strong smell 
of turpentine. This seems important, as testifying to the 
abundance of coniferous wood drifting in the estuary when these 
beds were deposited, and which probably supplied practically all 
the lignitic material in our cliffs. Mr. Barnes subsequently wrote 
to me that, in a visit to the Tyrol, he found a specimen of 
Melanterite, and that at Munich Museum he had been able to 
correlate the organic matter associated with Melanterite as 
Succinite, which is a condensation product from gummy matter 
derived from the vegetation of the period. 
It is curious that this deposit has long been known, and was 
formerly called “ alum,” a term vaguely applied to all bitter 
minerals in pre-scientific times. From its abundance in the neigh¬ 
bourhood, this gave its name to Alum Chine in the West Cliff, 
and it is stated that the mineral was formerly used to make ink by 
mixing it with a solution of galls. 
The presence of free sulphuric acid in water oozing from the 
clay beds was first pointed out by Mr. Carus Wilson. Litmus paper 
is sharply reddened by it, and a strongly acid taste characterizes 
some of the streams. This acid results from decomposition of 
pyrites in the presence of organic acids from decomposing vege¬ 
table matter. This acidulated water attacks limestones and 
dissolves mortar, its effects have been clearly shown in destroying 
concrete in several places, notably in a concrete wall near 
Boscombe Pier, also at Fisherman’s Walk. The amount is not 
sufficient to injure the Undercliff Drive, as it. sinks from the cliff 
face into the sand, and does not penetrate to the stone frontage. 
But it is possible that the concrete foundations may be affected 
by it in certain places after a time. The remedy is obviously to 
drain the cliff face from every trickling rivulet, and take the water 
off in earthenware pipes. 
About 100 yards nearer Boscombe we come to a point of 
-marked palaeontological interest. It has been called the “ seed- 
patch," quantities of small seeds having been found in it. In 
size they vary from that of a grain of wheat to a hazel-nut, and 
some fifteen varieties have been noted. They occur at a spot 
. where a tiny stream comes down from the upper beds, and, 
strange to say, almost entirely at this spot, a few yards east or 
west it is- very rare to find even a stray one. They are supposed 
to be seeds of Hightea and Cucumites, and rarely of Petro- 
philoides, but there are many others at present undescribed. 
Although I have found numbers, they at times cease to occur, 
only after an interval of a year or two becoming plentiful again. 
