198 ANNUAL KECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



smaller quantities of nitric oxide. The acid, acting upon 

 zinc or mercury in the presence of ammonic nitrate, yields 

 little gas but nitrogen ; with silver, nitric, but no nitrous 

 oxide is also formed. 21 A, Septembe7\ 1875. 



CONSTITUTION OF PHOSPHORUS OXYCHLORIDE. 



The constitution of phosphorus oxychloride has long been 

 a matter of discussion. Ira Remsen now shows that the com- 

 pound may be formed by the direct action of ozone upon the 

 trichloride. This fact streuGfthens the view which reorards 



CD S 



phosphorus as pentatomic, and obliges us to look upon the 

 atom of oxygen in the oxychloride as directly satisfying the 

 two bonds of affinity left free in the trichloride. 4 Z>, Jiili/. 



DISCOVERY OF VANADIC ACID IN MAGNETIC IRON. 



Dr. Isidor Walz communicated to the American Chemical 

 Society, May 4th, that he had discovered 0.3 to 0.4 per cent, 

 of vanadic acid in magnetic iron ores from the Church Mine, 

 New Jersey. Apart from the scientific interest attaching 

 to the rich occurrence of that rare metal on our soil, this dis- 

 covery may lead to important practical results, as the salts 

 of vanadium have recently begun to play an important role 

 in the preparation of aniline black, indelible marking-ink, 

 etc., and the supply has hitherto come from much poorer 

 sources than the one now disclosed. 



CARBON FROM THE ROOF OF A GAS-RETORT. 



Mr. A. McDougall exhibited before the Manchester Lit- 

 erary and Philosophical Society a specimen of carbon ob- 

 tained from the roof of a gas-retort, resembling graphite in 

 its almost metallic lustre. It was undoubtedly produced 

 by the decomposition of the hydrocarbon gases in the in- 

 tense heat of the retort ; and it is suggested that its forma- 

 tion may throw some light on that of graphite, as that sub- 

 stance is always associated with rocks that have been sub- 

 jected to igneous action. 18 A, Aj^ril 9, 1875, 89. 



LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE IN MINERAL CAVITIES. 



W. ISToel Hartley, examining the liquid which occasionally 

 occurs in the cavities of quartz, has corroborated the conclu- 

 sions of Davy and Brewster with regard to its being lique- 



