412 Miscellaneous IntelUgence, 



two &ck}ii4!s iltiDiher fact in favonr.of the view above. Also, when 

 iodic acid in powder is dropped into a vessel filled with dry muriatic 

 acid, a quick ebullition is observed at the iodic acid, heat is evolved, 

 chloride of iodine is formed, which, at first liquid, as the tempera- 

 ture falls, becomes solid in lon£^ crystals, part on the sides of the ves- 

 sel and part at the bottom. It is solid from 5y° to 68°, and fttset 

 between 68* and 77" F. — Annales de Chimie, xliii. 208. 



B. On fuming Nitric Acid — Hyponitrous Acid, <^c., by M. IVJit- 

 scherlich. — Whilst the temperature of the laboratory was at 14" F., 

 from 10 to 20 lbs. of fuming- nitric acid were slowly heated in a 

 retort, placed in a sand bath, to the neck of which a very lonff 

 tube was attached, cooled by a mixture of choride of calcium and 

 snow, and connected with a recipient and a pneumatic tube. No 

 gas passed from this tube ; when the acid was heated, a liquid con- 

 densed in the receiver, consisting of two layers, the separation o 

 ■which took place after every mixture by agitation. The lig-hter 

 liquid boiled at 82°.4 F., retaining that temperature until the last 

 portion had evaporated ; its specific gravity was 1.455; it decom^ 

 posed in contact with water into nitric acid, and oxide of azcte i 

 in one word, it presented all the properties of the combination of 

 nitrous with nitric acid, discovered by M. Dulong. 



The heavy liquid being heated, its point of ebullition rose cpQti- 

 nually from 82°.4, to more than 259° F., in proportion as the distil- 

 lation proceeded. This liquid is of a deep red colour, like ordinary 

 fuming nitric acid; it becomes colourless by the time that one half 

 of it has been distilled. The product is formed of half light and 

 half heavy liquid. The heavy liquid has a specific gravity o^fJL^,^^;^^ 

 Fuming nitric acid behaves in the same manner. \ _ ■ ^,j 



From these experiments it appears that fuming nitric acid is a.; 

 solution of hyponitric acid in nitric acid ; the latter, however, 

 can only dissolve a certain quantity, or about half its weight ; so 

 that when ordinary fuming nitric acid is distilled, a heavy liquid 

 (being a saturated solution of nitrous acid in nitric acid) and a 

 lighter liquid or hyponitric acid are obtained. — Annales de C/mjkiff, 

 xliii, 220. ,;,,4,. '.Hi;^<i^ S; U'^l '-'^^ ' 



4. Decomposition of f rater hy Heat and Metals. Despretz.— It- 

 has long been known that iron decomposes water at a red heat 

 evolving hydrogen, and that hydrogen, at a red heat, can entirely 

 reduce the oxide formed. Gay Lussac has shewn, that the decom- 

 position and recomposition take place at the same temperature. Mv 

 Despretz has ascertained that zinc, nickel, cobalt, and lin, act, in 

 this respect, like iron. 



The oxide of manganese is not completely reduced by hydrogen. 

 Pure peroxide of this metal, exposed to a current of the dry gas, at 

 the highest heat of a good forge, left fused protoxide, having a very 

 fine green colour. 



