I have made no experiment on platinum, because I could procure no specimen of a size and form parallel with my specimens of the other metals.

The problem of mercury remains unsettled because of its fluidity. I am inclined to think that crystallization or the condition of the ultimate particles, has much influence over the direction of the currents. Hence antimony and bismuth stand at the head of each class. The other metals not remarkably crystalline arrange themselves nearly according to their relation to oxygen. I have made no scale of the thermo-electric powers of the metals upon each other. This would be the easier task because generally the electrical current is there much more decided and certain. Take for example that of bismuth and copper. Bismuth and bismuth by the heat of the hand turned the needle 11 degrees in 4 seconds; while bismuth and copper, under the same circumstances deflected the needle at the rapid rate of 160 degrees in the same time. The needle of my galvanometer weighs 20 grams and is 22 inches long. It is so far neutralized by a fixed adjustable magnet as to perform but three vibrations per minute. The magnetic force acting on one end of the needle as a pendulum is the 17424th part of the full force of gravitation, or the 1742d part of a grain. This is the parallel force, and the deflecting force for one degree would be the one hundred thousandth part of a grain. I despair therefore of making the instrument more sensible, unless I exhaust it of air which seems by its "viscidity" to be an impediment to motions and forces so delicate, in the same manner as it counteracts the gravitation of a downy feather so as to prevent it from falling.

All of my experiments indicate that the thermo-electric current is confined to a narrower sphere about the conductor than the galvanic current, hence my discoid galvanometer which has its needle almost in contact with the conducting wires is so sensible to the former. Perhaps the most astonishing experiment is that made with a disc of bismuth included between two flat coils of copper wire not larger than a shilling. The end of the finger being applied to the upper coil when the temperature is 50 will give the needle such a velocity in 3 seconds as will carry it four times round; even to day the temperature being 72, warming one of the coils between the fingers and applying it suddenly to the disc of bismuth lying on the other, the needle was deflected in 1 second 7 degrees, in 2 seconds 28 degrees, in 3 seconds 60 degrees, and in 4 seconds 100 degrees.

MISCELLANIES.

FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.

The following notices are translated from Berzelius's last yearly report on the progress of science; by Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger of New York.

1. A new ore of Antimony has been discovered in the Hartz mountains by Zinkin, which resembles zinkenite and appears to be also a subantimonio-sulphuret of sulphuret of lead with sulphuret of silver.

2. A new Tenantite has been examined by Hemming from a newly opened mine in Cornwall which consists of Arsenic, 11.5

Copper,

Iron,

Sulphur,

Silex and Gangue,

48.4

3. Vanadiate of lead.-Johnson discovered some species of vanadiate of oxide of lead at Wanlockhead in Scotland, one species occurs on calamine in form of warts and as large as a pin's head. It is of a dirty white and appears to be dew of a pale red powder, has a resinous fracture and specific gravity of about 7. The other is black and looks like earthy manganese; a third has not yet been described, but Johnston has sent specimens to the Collection of the Royal Swedish Academy; it is regularly crystallized and appears to be a bivanadiate of the oxide of lead.

4. Plumbacalcite has been described by Johnson as a mineral found at Wanlockhead in Scotland; it consists of carbonate of lime and carbonate of lead; it is crystallized in the primative rhomboid of the calcareous spar; it occurs both transparent and opaque and consists of 92.2 carbonate lime, 7.8 carbonate of lead. By heat the carbonic acid is evolved, and the mineral assumes a reddish color. This mineral offers an interesting proof of the isomorphism of oxide of lead with a rhomboid of carbonate of lime.

5. Pelokonite.-Richter describes an uncrystallized mineral, occurring in Chili, with malachite and copper-green under the above name, (from sλos brown and xóvis powder). It contains phosporic acid and the oxides of iron, manganese and copper; it has a blackish blue

color gives a liver brown streak of a conchoidal fracture and weak lusture; its spec. grav. is between 2.5 and 2.57.

6. Wolchouskoit.-Kammerer described a new mineral from Siberia which is amorphous, bluish green opake, and of conchoidal fracture; its touch is greasy, gives a bluish green streak and adheres slightly to the tongue; consists of silica, alumina, oxide of chrome

and water.

7. Wörthite. This new mineral has been described by Hess and found in a scapolitic boulder from the neighborhood of Petersburg. It is colorless, crystalline foliated, of specific gravity of about 3.0; harder than quartz, infusible before the blow-pipe and dissolves with difficulty and with effervescence; in soda it becomes transparent and yields water by heating in a tube; it becomes dark blue with nitrate of cobalt. Hess found it composed of Silica,

40.58

- 53.80

8. Pyrargillite.-Nordensköld discovered and analyzed two new minerals from Finland, the one he calls by the above name from its character of diffusing a clayey smell by heat. It is partly black, light and lustrous like the Lordawalite and partly bluish granular or red and without lustre ; it seldom occurs pure in uncrystallized masses, the form of which approaches to a four sided prism with truncated angles sometimes it is traversed with chlorite so as to appear sparkling by polishing; its specific gravity is 2.505; its hardness 3.5; it is decomposed completely by muriatic acid; it occurs in granite and it

9. Amphodellite.-This is the other mineral discovered by the above author from the lime quarries of Lozo in Finland, its crystallized form bears much analogy to that of felspar; it is clear reddish, reVOL. XXVI.-No. 2.

50

sembles in fracture scapolite with two passages which form an angle of 94° 9' its hardness is 4.5 and its specific gravity 2.793; it con

There are a few more minerals described which seem to require a thorough examination in order to establish their claim to be called new, as for instance Skugisan and Monophan belonging to the family of the zeolites and noticed by Breithaupt.

The Mengite from Siberia, and the Monticellite from Vesuvius and noticed by Brooke and Berzelius from Galloro near Rome, a kind of anhydrous zeolite which is difficult to fuse and becomes gelatinous with muriatic acid; it is noticed by Necker De Saussure. In regard to the Xanthite, described in a former number of this Journal which occurs in Orange County, N. Y. which consists of Silica, Lime,

Alumina,

Oxide of Iron,

Protoxide of Manganese,

32.708

36.308

12.280

12.000

3.680

0.600

24.24

Moisture,

Loss,

Berzelius observes that if this analysis approaches to accuracy and if a small part of the oxide of Iron is contained in the mineral

{

C

A2

as a protoxide the formula would be 2 MgS+FS.

FS

10. Ozokerite, a new combustible mineral.-This mineral occurs at Slauik Moldavian District near the Karparthes and has been called by Glooker, Ozokerite (siv to smell, xngos wax,) it is of a talcose structure, the color between green and brown, of the spec. grav., 0.955 to 0.970, it may be kneaded between the fingers, melts into a clear mass in the flame of a candle, is soluble neither in alcohol nor water, even when boiling, and but slowly so in ether and spirits of turpentine.

This mineral may serve as an excellent material for lamps or tapers burning like wax with soft clear flame and diffusing on its being

extinguished an agreeable odor. Specimens are shortly expected from the locality.

11. Platinum in France.-A specimen of platinum has been exhibited before the academy at Paris, which has been extracted in combination with silver from galena and which contains 0.00022 of Platinum and since 1100lbs. of the galena, are daily produced from the mines, the daily produce of platinum will be 1lb. 4 oz. 4 drams and 28 grains. The mines of Cohfolens and Alloue Depart. of Choraute are the localities for this platinum.

12. Carrageen or Irish Moss.

Communicated by Dr. Lewis Feuchtwanger.

Chondrus crispus, Lyngbye, Hydropt. Dan. p. 15, t. 4. Greville, Algæ Brit. p. 129, t. 15.

Sphaerococcus crispus, Agardh, Sp. Alg. 1. p. 256.

Fucus crispus, Lin. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 718. Turn. Hist. Fuc. p.

216-217.

This moss is common on rocks and stones, along the coast of Europe; it is also a native of the United States. A very variable species, but easily recognized, when the eye is accustomed to it. The genus Chondrus, belongs to the order Florideae of the great natural family of the Algae. All the species have a cartilaginous frond, which is flat, without nerves, dichotomous, dilated at the extremity, and of a livid reddish color; the fructification consists of scattered capsules, mostly immersed in the frond, rarely pedicellate; seeds minute, rounded.*

This moss abounding on the southern and western coasts of Ireland, has been used by house painters for sizing; it has likewise been highly esteemed by the inhabitants, as a dietetic remedy for various diseases; more especially for consumption, dysentery, ricketts, scrofula and affections of the kidneys and bladder. Dissolved by being boiled in water, a thick jelly is produced, more pure and agreeable, than that procured from any other vegetable, which is found to agree better with the stomach, than any prepared from animal substances. Its chemical composition appears to me, as far as I have been able to trace it, of very considerable importance, the jelly formed by dissolving it in hot water is not only composed of starch but contains a large

* I am indebted to Dr. John Torrey, for the communication of the botanical description.