17€ MisceUa7ieous Intelligence. 



by igniting'potash with per-oxide of manganese, and dissolving 

 in water. After solution a deut-oxide remained, oxygen having 

 been transferred to that part of the metal dissolved. The green 

 solution soon became red, and deposited deut-oxide of a brown 

 colour. 



Solution of pure potash added to the red solution of chamseleon, 

 did not change the colour; but the least drop of alcohol 

 immediately made it green, and if enough were given, a beauti- 

 ful colour was produced. If too much were added, all colour 

 disappeared, and deut-oxide of manganese remained. 



Hence the difference between the green and red chamaeleons 

 appears to depend upon the quantity of oxygen combined with 

 the metal. In forming green chamasleon, a part of the per-oxide 

 used is reduced to deut-oxide, and a part raised to the state of 

 an acid, forming the green compound with potash ; this green 

 compound gradually changes ; the acid in it divides into two 

 parts, one of which is reduced to deut-oxide, yielding up its 

 oxygen to the other which forms an acid more oxygenated than 

 the first, existing in the red compound. Alcohol, when added, 

 deprives this acid of oxygen, converting it first into the acid in 

 the green chamseleoiji, and then into deut-oxide. 



Solution of potash, containing the powder of carbonate of 

 manganese, was poured into a portion of the red solution ; the 

 colour became green, and the prot-oxide of the carbonate be- 

 came deut-oxide. If too much of the carbonate were added, the 

 whole became deut-oxide. 



The acid in the green chamaeleon, Dr. Forshhammer has 

 called manganeseous acid ; that in the red manganesic acid. 

 The manganeseous acid is very easy of decomposition, when 

 combined with potash it forms a sub-manganesite, and when- 

 ever the potash is saturated, or its action weakened, the man 

 ganeseous acid is decomposed into deut-oxide of manganese, 

 and manganesic acid : hence the changes of the chameeleon. 

 A green solution exposed to the air turns red by the absorption 

 of carbonic acid, which precipitates deut-oxide of manganese. 

 Acids have the same effect, and even water also in great quan- 

 tity, by weakening the power of the alcali. When the red 



