CHEMISTRY. 135 



carbon is absent consist of about 17.30 per cent, of aluminum 

 and S2.70 of boron, corresponding to the formula A1B 12 . 

 The yellow crystals, quadratic in form, which have been sup- 

 posed to be an allotropic form of boron, the author finds to 

 contain 13.15 per cent, of aluminum, 3.76 of carbon, and 82.81 

 of boron, from which he derives the formula C 2 A1 3 B 48 for 

 the substance. 



Wright has continued his studies upon the gases contain- 

 ed in meteorites, and now gives the results of his examina- 

 tion of the Kold Bokkeveld meteorite, which, though stony, 

 contains considerable carbon and some bituminous matters. 

 It yielded 25.23 volumes of gas, of which 93.11 per cent, was 

 carbon dioxide, the remainder being carbon monoxide, marsh 

 gas, hydrogen, and nitrogen, the two latter in minute quan- 

 tity. It also yielded ten per cent, of water, in which chlorine 

 and sulphurous oxide were detected. The manner of occur- 

 rence of the gases within the meteorite is also discussed. 



A note has appeared by Bottinger giving the results of 

 his experiments with carbonous oxide and hydrogen cya- 

 nide, in a research upon glyoxylic acid. He finds that when 

 pure carbonous oxide is conducted over pure dry hydrogen 

 cyanide, well cooled, it is actively absorbed. If the solution 

 be mixed with a concentrated solution of hydrogen chloride 

 and agitated, no evolution of gas takes place, even on agita- 

 tion, the liquid separating, on standing, into two layers. If, 

 however, the vessel be removed from the freezing mixture, a 

 rapid stream of pure carbonous oxide is evolved. Pure hy- 

 drogen cyanide is left, showing that the CO was simply dis- 

 solved. He hence calls attention to the remarkable solubility 

 of carbonous oxide in hydrocyanic acid. 



Hartley has made further examinations of the liquids con- 

 tained in mineral cavities. He finds that the liquid carbon 

 dioxide present varies considerably from 27.27 to 33.7 C. 

 in its critical point in different mineral specimens, often 

 varying in different cavities in the same mineral specimen. 

 The presence of this substance in sapphire and topaz leads 

 him to the supposition that these minerals may have been 

 formed by the action of aluminum fluoride or chloride upon 

 calcium carbonate at high pressures, producing alumina and 

 carbon dioxide. Where water is also present in the cavity 

 it would seem that the reaction had taken place in presence 



