§C1E-NTIFIC NEWS. ^Qf 



Mr. Vauquelln n^xt inquired what might be the circum- Clrcumftance 

 flance, that led hiro into an error when he iirft ^nalyCed ^^^ Vaurj^elfn i Mb 

 topaz; and he imagines, that it was his treating the alcahne firftanalyfis, 

 mafs with muriatic acid, inliead of employing the lulphuric; 

 and that probably not heating it to a fufficient degree to expel 

 the fluoric acid, from fear of decompofing the muriate of alu- 

 mine, he precipitated the fluoric acid combined with the alu^ • 

 mine, when he added ammonia to feparate the alumine from 

 its muriatic folution. 



Examination of Crude Platin(f,f by Mejfrs, Tennant and 



WOLLASTON,* 



THE editors of the Annaks de Mufiuni obferve, that pla-Pla^na, 

 fina, when taken from the mine, appears from the experiments 

 of Defcotils, Fourcroy, and Vauquelin, to be mixed with 

 iron, chrome, and other metals, among which may be one or 

 two that are new. Mr. Tennant has given names to two, and 

 Dr. Wollafton to two others; but the French journalifts con* 

 gratulate their countrymen for being lefs hafty, and waiting tili 

 they are aiHired thefe new metals really exift. 



Prize 2aeJtions in Franve, 



■ The Society of Agriculture and the Arts^ in the department Prlte queftions 

 of the North, propofes for the fubjedls of two prizes, whichJ^^J'g^'^^J^' 

 (hall be adjudged, the firft in the firft of Fru61idor, in the year the colfa. 

 XIII. and the fecond in the fuH fortnight of Frudidor, in the 

 year XIV. the two following queftions : 



Firjl Quejlion. — " What method of propagating, rearing, 

 feeding, and houfing the (lieep of the race now exifiing in the 

 department of the North, ought to be followed in this depart- 

 ment, to obtain wool from thefe animals, equal in quality to the 

 befl wools from Englifli ftieep ?" 



Second 'I^uejlion.' — An infed known in the country under the 

 improper denomination ofpz^c-erow, has this and feveral preceding 

 years attacked and deftroyed the greater part of the flowers of the 

 colza. — ** What is this infe6l? Under what generic and fpecific 

 name have the moft celebrated naluralifts defcribed it ? What 



;* bulletin d?s Sciences, IjTo. XC. p. 234, Sept. 1804. 



u 



