CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 233 



boracic acid, however, was in the state in which it was found, and had the 

 form of white glistening scales of a nacreous luster, tinged in parts with 

 traces of adherent sulphur, and possessing a greasy, talcose feel. It was, in 

 the first instance, boiled with diluted hydrochloric acid, allowed to become 

 clear by subsidence, and the solution decanted from the undissolved portion. 

 The latter was washed, to remove the adhering acid, and boiled with a weak 

 solution of caustic potash, without the least trace of ammonia being liberated. 

 The residue was collected, washed with distilled water, and dried. Some 

 caustic potash was next fused in a tube of hard glass, and, while in this state, 

 was found to yield no evidence of ammoniacal gas. A fragment of the dried, 

 white, insoluble residue was then dropped into the potash, and the fusion re- 

 peated. Strong evidence of the formation and liberation of ammonia was 

 at once indicated. It was obvious, from tin's experiment, that the ammonia 

 could not have been really formed in tins substance, but must have been pro- 

 duced by some decomposition effected by the potash. These phenomena re- 

 call to mind the interesting compound of boron and nitrogen discovered in the 

 year 1842 by Mr. Balmain, who applied to it the name of Ethogen, and which 

 has since been examined by Professor Wohler. This compound is produced 

 by heating borax and ferrocyanide of potassium, in their anhydrous states, to 

 a full red-heat, hi a covered crucible. The white, infusible, porous mass which 

 results from their action is washed with a large quantity of boiling water, 

 acidulated with hydrochloric acid. The nitrate of boron so obtained is insol- 

 uble in water and acids, even when concentrated; but when fused with 

 caustic potash, ammonia is copiously evolved, and if heated in a current of 

 steam to a moderate red-heat, it is entirely converted into boracic acid and 

 ammonia. These characters correspond with those of the white compound 

 examined, as far as the evolution of ammonia is concerned, but owing to the 

 amah 1 quantity at my disposal, I was unable to determine the presence of 

 boracic acid, or rather of boron, except by its peculiar phosphorescence before 

 the blow-pipe flame. The existence of this compound hi active volcanoes 

 would also explain in a satisfactory manner the simultaneous presence of 

 boracic acid and ammonia. 



OX THE OCCUKREXCE OF OXALATES IX THE MIXER AL KINGDOM. 

 AXALYSIS OF TWO XEW SPECIES. 



Dr. Heddle, in a communication to the Royal Society, Edinburg, describes 

 two new oxalates recently discovered in a copper mine of Westmoreland, 

 England. Two oxalates only have been previously known in the mineral 

 kingdom ; the one an oxalate of iron, analyzed by Rammelesberg, and named 

 by him Humboldtine ; the other an oxalate of lime called "Whewellite. In 

 regard to the new minerals, Dr. Heddle says, I found one to be an oxalate of 

 lime, differing from Whewellite in having six additional atoms of water of 

 crystallization. Associated with these white crystals was a purplish red sub- 

 stance, which appearing to me to be new, I submitted also to analysis, when 

 it proved to be an oxalate of potash, with ten atoms of water of crystallization. 

 The color was due to some oxalate of cobalt. It is always desirable that a 



