to find the remains of Machairodus latidens, mentioned and fig ured by Mr. M'Enery,* nor of Hippotamus major, alluded to by Prof. Owent as occurring in the cavern; nor have they found anything in the least degree calculated to bring the statements alluded to into discredit. Again, so far as their researches have gone, the committee have not, like Mr. Godwin-Austen, found the bones of man mixed up, in undisturbed soil, with those of extinct animals; it will be seen, however, that there is no à priori improbability in the statement of the distinguished geologist just mentioned; and the committee would remind such as may be disposed to attach importance to the fact that men's bones are not forthcoming as readily as their implements, that in the black mould, as well as in the red loam of the cavern, the only indication of man's existence are remnants of his handiwork. Pottery, implements and ornaments in bone, metal, and stone, the remnants of his fires, and the relics of his feasts are numerous, and betoken the lapse of at least two milleniums; but here, as well as in the older deposits below, the committee have met with no vestige of his osseous system.

In conclusion, the committee would observe that the value of their labors is not to be measured by the discoveries, or rather the rediscoveries, which they have made. They have not only disinterred a valuable body of fact, but with it a confirmation of the concurrent statements of M'Enery, Godwin-Austen, and the committee of the Torquay Natural History Society; and have thereby more than doubled the amount of trustworthy evidence which they have themselves produced.

--

ART. XLV. Additional Notice of the Cohahuila Meteoric Iron; by CHARLES UPHAM SHEPARD.

PROF. F. SHEPHERD having put me in communication with Maj. E. M. Hamilton, in reference to the locality of Bonanza, New Mexico, I have derived from this persevering explorer several interesting particulars concerning these extraordinary masses that appear worthy of publicity.

Major Hamilton states that Bonanza is about thirty or forty miles north of Santa Rosa, but much farther to the west. Residents of the vicinity told him, it had only once before been visited by any traveller, and this was fifteen years ago, when an Englishman had been deputed thither in an official capacity, to determine whether the iron could be applied to any useful pur* Cavern Researches, p. 32, and plate F. (8vo edition). + British Fossil Mammals and Birds, p. 410 (1846).

Trans. Geol. Soc,, Second Series, yol. vi, part 2, pp. 444 & 446.

pose. He reported it as having no value, for the reason that it would cost more to divide the masses, sufficiently to fit them for transportation, than the metal was worth.

Major Hamilton saw thirteen pieces, twelve of which had never been removed, and one small mass of about seventy-five pounds, that had been carried to the village of Santa Rosa. The area within which the twelve masses lie, is between one and two miles in diameter.

The largest mass projects two, or two and a half feet above the ground, and is some three feet long, and a little less in width. How far it is buried in the earth is unknown. Their surfaces are all smooth, without offering any projecting points. They are quite black and entirely free from rust. In shape, they are more or less spherical, and much resemble the time-worn boulders in the beds of rivers. Some of the smaller of them, are estimated to weigh between two and three thousand pounds.

Major Hamilton thinks it might be possible to cut off pieces of a few pounds weight, provided suitable tools for the purpose could be procured, though the operation would be attended with much difficulty.

The smaller masses might be transported across the Rio Grand into the United States, at an expense of fifteen hundred dollars each. The Mexican authorities would have no objections to their removal as they attach no value whatever to thein.

Analysis. The fragment analyzed by me, weighed 6.01 grm., and had a specific gravity of 7.825.

Its solution in hydrochloric acid, gave no indication of the presence of sulphur. The Rhabdite crystals, which in microscopic needle-points were quite abundant in the cold solution, gradually disappeared on the addition of nitric acid, leaving only a very minute quantity of a white granular powder, supposed to be silicate of magnesia. It amounted to only 0·001 per cent. The composition of the mass was,

Iron,

Nickel, with traces of chromuim, cobalt, mag

nesium and phosphorus,

97.900

2.100

The phosphorus, as determined upon seven gram. of the peroxyd of iron precipitate, was less than eight parts in 10.000. No search was made for tin or copper.

As I have not yet been able to procure a polished slice of the iron, I can add nothing concerning the Widman figures. If they exist, they will be extremely fine, and probably resemble those of the Braunau iron.

Amherst, March 20, 1867.

SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

I. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS.

1. On the conversion of dynamical into electrical force without the aid of permanent magnetism.-The magneto-electric machine of Mr. Wilde has been briefly described in a former notice. A modification of this apparatus which possesses much theoretic interest has been contrived by the brothers W. and C. W. Siemens, and at about the same time and independently by Wheatstone. In these machines the steel magnets of the generating or primary magneto-electric machine are replaced by electro-magnets. The electro-magnets are first charged by a galvanic battery or other rheomotor, the armature is then caused to rotate, and the battery is removed, when the magnetic action continues to accumulate without its aid. Instead of employing a battery the soft iron of the electro-magnet may be touched by a permanent magnet. In practice this is not necessary, as the residual magnetism of the iron is sufficient. In Wheatstone's apparatus the wires covering the electro-magnets and those surrounding the armature are connected, so that the current, which is made to move in one direction, acts upon the electro-magnet in such a manner as to increase its existing polarity. The force required to turn the armature then becomes vastly increased, as well as the intensity of induced current. In this case also the residual magnetism of the iron is the primary cause of the current which then goes on increasing up to a maximum, at the expense of course of a certain amount of work expended in producing rotation. When a cross wire is placed so as to divert a portion of the current from the electro-magnet a remarkable increase in the heating and magnetizing power of the current is observed. Wheatstone accounts for this increase by supposing that the current passing through the armature branch and cross wire experiences a much less resistance than if it had passed through the armature and electromagnet branches, and though the electro-motive force is less, the resistance having been rendered less in a greater ratio, the resultant effect is greater. In conclusion Wheatstone points out the analogy between the augmentation of the power of a weak magnet by means of an inductive action produced by itself, and the accumulation of power shown in the electrical machines of Holtz and others, in which a very small quantity of electricity is made by a series of inductive actions to equal or exceed the effects of the most powerful machines of the ordinary construction. -Proc. of the Royal Society, xv, 367, 369.

W. G.

2. New applications of methods of reduction in organic chemistry.BERTHELOT has studied the action of iodhydric acid upon a variety of organic compounds, and has greatly extended our knowledge of the transformations produced by this valuable reagent, the introduction of which, it will be remembered, is due to himself. The experiments were conducted by introducing the organic matter to be operated on into a tube with a very concentrated solution of iodhydric acid, sealing the tube and heating to a temperature of 275° C. In this manner the iodid, bromid, and chlorid of ethylene yield hydruret of ethylene, haloid acid, and free iodine, the reaction in the case of the iodid being represented by the equation

C2H2I2+2HI=C1H6+212,

4

and in the case of the bromid of ethylene by the equation.

C1H1Br2+4HI⇒C ̧¤ ̧+2HBr+4I2.

In like manner di-iodhydrate of acetylene, CH2(2HI), and iodid of ethyl, CH ̧I, yield hydruret of ethylene and free iodine. Iodid of allyl yields hydruret of propylene, according to the equation

5

Jodhydric acid acts even upon perchlorinated compounds; thus sesquichlorid of carbon, C4Cl, reacts with it according to the equation

C,C+12HI-C,H,+6HC1+612.

4

4

All the hydrocarbons capable of uniting directly with iodhydric acid, as for instance all the ethylenes and acetenes, CanH2n and C2nH2n-21 first unite with iodhydric acid, and afterward by the action of an excess of the acid upon the new compound formed, yield a new hydrocarbon and free iodine.

Alcohols treated in the same manner yield first the iodids of the radicals and these then react with iodhydric acid in the manner explained above. Thus the first action of iodhydric acid upon common alcohol may be represented by the equation

C4H6O2+4HI=C1H ̧+H2O2+212,

iodid of ethyl being an intermediate product. In like manner glycerine yields hydruret of propylene.

Ethers derived from the oxacids are first decomposed with formation of an iodid of the radical and regeneration of the oxacid; the iodid and oxacid are then separately acted on by the excess of free iodhydric acid. Thus methyl-formic ether and iodhydric acid react according to the equation

C2H2(C2H2O1)+2HI=C2O2+C2H1+H2O2+I2.

4

Common aldehyd yields hydruret of ethylene mixed with hydrogen and probably with some marsh-gas. Acetone gives hydruret of propylene according to the equation

C6H6O2+4HI CH ̧+H2O2+212,

8

but the hydruret of propylene undergoes a partial decomposition, probably according to the equation

Organic acids treated with iodhydric acid are reduced to formenes containing the same quantity of carbon as the acid, provided that these are sufficiently stable to resist a temperature of 275° C. Thus acetic acid reacts according to the equation

C1H11+6HI⇒C2H2+2H2O2+312.

4

4

Succinic acid, like butyric acid, yields hydruret of butylene;

CH ̧ ̧+12HI=С ̧H10+4H2O2+612.

8

The author remarks that the facts mentioned above furnish a general method of reproducing the fundamental hydrocarbon of each series by means of all the bodies in the series. Thus hydruret of ethylene, CH(H2), yields by replacement CH(Cl2), CH(HI), ČÍ (H2O2), С1Н(04), and C4H2(0)(04), in each the substitution being

2

by equal volumes. All these compounds, by the reducing action of iodhydric acid, reproduce the original hydrocarbon, CH-Bull. de la Société Chimique, Janvier, 1867, p. 53.

W. G.

3. On the monatomic nitriles.-The monatomic nitriles may be regarded as primary monamines, the three atoms of hydrogen in ammonia being replaced by one atom of a triatomic radical. L. Henry has shown that this view is supported by several new and interesting facts. Thus acetonitrile, (€2H,)"N, readily unites with dry bromhydric and iodhydric acids with production of intense heat. The resulting salts are solid crystalline white bodies, soluble in alcohol but insoluble in ether. They are rapidly decomposed by water or moist air, forming acetic acid and salts of ammonia. Benzonitrile gives analogous compounds. Sulphocyanic acid and sulphocyanid of ethyl may also be referred to the type of ammonia, like the corresponding cyanic acid and cyanid of ethyl. The sulphocyanids of ethyl and allyl combine readily with dry bromhydric and iodhydric acids, giving white crystalline bodies decomposed by water.-Bull. de la Soc. Chim., Janvier, 1867, p. 85.

W. G.

4. On graphitoid boron.-WÖHLER has obtained the so-called graphitoid boron, discovered by Deville and himself, in sufficient quantity for analysis, and has found that the substance in question is not boron but a compound of boron and aluminum. The compound is always formed in preparing crystallized boron or by fusing aluminum in the vapor of chlorid of boron. The borid crystallizes in very thin pale copper-colored six-sided tables which, according to Prof. W. H. Miller, are monoclinic. It does not burn in the air but burns in chlorine with brilliancy, forming chlorid of aluminum and chlorid of boron. Two analyses led to the formula AlB2.-Ann. der Chemie und Pharm., cxli, 268.

W. G.

5. On the constitution of mellitic acid.-BEYER and SCHEIBLER have found that mellitic acid is six-basic and has the constitution of benzol, in which six atoms of hydrogen are replaced by six of carbonyl, €, II, so that its formula is €(¤→2H). When heated with lime it is completely decomposed into carbonic acid and benzol. With sodium amalgam mellitic acid takes up six atoms of hydrogen and forms the six-basic acid, ЄH(2H)6, which, when heated with sulphuric acid, yields a four-basic acid, € ̧Н2(¤¤2H). This can take up four atoms of hydrogen to form a new acid, which, when treated with sulphuric acid, again loses carbonic acid. The final product of these transformations is benzoic acid. The authors beg chemists who may possess a stock of mellite to supply them with material for their investigation.-Ann. der Chemie und Pharm., cxli, 271.

W. G.

6. On the cyanic ethers.-GAL has studied the action of chlorhydric and bromhydric acids upon cyanic ether. The dry ether absorbs chlorhydric acid gas, and by distillation a liquid is obtained which has a penetrating smell, fumes slightly in the air, and boils between 108° and 112° C. The author gives to this body the formula C,H,O.C2 NO. HCl, which may be referred to the type of chlorid of ammonium, and written C202 NCH CI. Water decomposes this substance, forming chlorid of

H

5

5