210 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



it was composed of silica 70 parts ; lime 9 ; oxide of copper 15 ; 

 oxide of iron 1 ; soda mixed with potash 4. A blue identical with 

 this, both in colour and composition, was found in the bottom of a 

 furnace in which copper had been fused at Romilly. 



M. D'Arcet has examined a bone from the fore part of an ox, 

 which had been placed as an offering to the divinity in an Egyptian 

 tomb, and found that it contained as much gelatine as recent bone, 

 although rather less is obtained by muriatic acid, (20 per cent, 

 instead of 27) because of a deterioration of the bone. When burnt, 

 it gave an animal black as deep in colour as that from recent bone. 



M. Le Baillif has examined some grains of corn, which were so 

 well preserved, that when put into boiling water iodine produced 

 the blue colour dependent upon starch. He also made some ex- 

 periments on a gummy substance, and on two cords from a musi- 

 cal instrument; the latter were of animal substance. 



M. Raspail examined some grain which was supposed to be 

 wheat, but found it to be torrified barley ; it was covered with a 

 substance communicated probably by the oil and incense with which 

 the grains were bathed when consecrated. Similar grains were ob^ 

 tained by roasting common barley. 



The account of most of these researches is given in the Catalogue 

 raisonne et historique des Antiquites decouvertes en Egypte, by 

 M. Passalacqua. — Bull. Univ. A. vii. 264. 



24. On the Bitter Substance produced hy the action of Nitric 

 Acid on Indigo, Silk, and Aloes, by M. Just Liebeg. — ^The process 

 by which M. Liebeg obtains a pure and uniform substance from the 

 action of nitric acid on indigo, is as follows : — A portion of the best 

 indigo is to be broken into small fragments, and moderately heated 

 with eight or ten times its weight of nitric acid of moderate strength. 

 It will dissolve, evolving an abundance of nitrous vapours and 

 sweUing up in the vessel. After the scum has fallen, the liquid is 

 to be boiled, and nitric acid added, whilst any disengagement of red 

 vapours is occasioned by it. When the Hquid has become cold, a 

 large quantity of semi-transparent yellow crystals will be formed, 

 and if the operation has been well conducted, no artificial tannin or 

 resin will be obtained. The crystals are to be washed with cold 

 water, and then boiled in water sufficient to dissolve them. If any 

 oily drops of tannin form on the surface of the solution, they must 

 be carefully removed by touching them with filtering paper. Then 

 filtering the fluid, and allowing it to cool, yellow brilliant crystalline 

 plates will be obtained, which will not lose their lustre by washing. 



To obtain the substance perfectly pure, the crystals must be re- 

 dissolved in boiling water, and neutralized by carbonate of potash. 

 Upon cooling, a salt of potash will crystallize, which should be 

 purified by repeated crystallizations. 



On mixing the first mother liquor with water, a considerable 

 trown precipitate will be obtained, which being dissolved in boiling 



