356 Scientific Intelligence. 



The sulphuret of aluminium cannot be generated by exposing sulphate 

 of alumina to hydrogen gas at a red heat ; for in that case all the acid is 

 expelled without the aluminous earth being reduced. 



10. Phosphuret of Aluminium. — When aluminium is heated to redness 

 in contact with the vapour of phosphorus, it takes fire, and burns with 

 considerable brilliancy. The product is a blackish-gray pulverulent mass, 

 which by rubbing acquires a dark gray metallic lustre, and smells constant- 

 ly of phosphuretted hydrogen. Thrown into water a phosphuretted hy- 

 drogen gas, which does not ignite spontaneously in the air, is disengaged. 

 The effervescence is less rapid than with the sulphuret ; but is increased 

 by heat. 



11. Seleniuret of Aluminium. — This compound is formed with emission 

 of light by heating to redness a mixture of selenium and aluminium. The 

 product is black, pulverulent, and assumes a dark metallic lustre when rub- 

 bed. In the air it emits a strong odour of seleniuretted hydrogen ; and 

 this gas is rapidly disengaged by the action of water, which is speedily red- 

 dened by the separation of selenium. 



12. Arseniuret of Aluminium. — When arsenic in powder and aluminium 

 are heated to redness, combination takes place, though with less intense 

 light and heat than in the preceding compounds. The arseniuret is dark 

 gray, pulverulent, acquires metallic lustre by friction, and smells feebly of 

 arseniuretted hydrogen. In water no action ensues ; but in a short time 

 a slow disengagement of arseniuretted hydrogen occurs, and the efferves- 

 cence becomes rapid by the aid of heat. 



13. Alloy of Tellurium and Aluminium. — When a mixture of these me- 

 tals are heated to redness, they unite with such violence that the whole 

 mass is projected from the vessel as if shot from a gun. This inconve- 

 nience may be avoided by adding the tellurium in mass. 



The telluriet of aluminium is a black, metallic, brittle substance, ren- 

 dered coherent by partial fusion. In the air it smells intolerably of tellu- 

 reted hydrogen, and this gas is rapidly disengaged by the action of water, 

 which quickly becomes red, then brown, and lastly opaque, from deposi- 

 tion of tellurium. The destruction of this compound in water takes place 

 even more easily than the sulphuret of aluminium. 



Antimony, when heated to a strong red heat with aluminium, did not 

 combine with it. 



14. On the presence of Uric Acid in the urine of the Lion and Tiger. — 

 We are informed by a letter from Professor Stromeyer, that he has lately 

 had an opportunity of examining the urine of the lion, tiger, leopard, and 

 hyena. The urine of all these animals was found to contain uric acid. 

 When quite recent it also had an acid reaction, but speedily became neu- 

 tral and then alkaline. 



15. On a Gaseous Fluoride of Manganese. By Dr Wohler. (Poggen- 



4 



