*78 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



ing marine action. This proof leads to the same conclusion (though 

 on a smaller scale), as the vertical stems of large trees in the coal and 

 other secondary strata, intersecting many distinct beds : and this 

 more than natural rapidity of deposition, which is not yet acknow- 

 ledged by geologists in general, cannot fail soon to attract attention, 

 and to exercise a powerful influence on many opinions at present 

 generally received, which are entirely opposed to it. 



G. F. 

 June 10, 1834. 



MURIATIC ACID IN FLUOR SPARS. 



M. Kersten states that in examining the results of the decomposi- 

 tion of certain minerals in which he found that chlorine and fluorine 

 frequently replaced each other, he suspected that fluor spars might 

 probably contain chlorine or muriatic acid, and this idea was con- 

 firmed by finding small quantities of it in several varieties of the blue 

 fluor spar of Marienberg, and in some of those of Freyberg. — Ann. de 

 Chim. et de Phys., torn. liii. p. 324. 



POLYSPHERITE, OR BROWN PHOSPHATE OF LEAD. 



This mineral was found in 1830 near Freyberg: it consists of 

 globules and isolated drops placed upon each other, in the interior of 

 which a great quantity of concentric radii are visible. Its lustre is 

 greasy : its colour passes from clove brown to Isabella yellow. Its 

 fracture is radiated : its hardness is equal to that of calcareous spar, 

 and its density, according to M. Breithaupt, is 6-092. 



M. Kersten found it to consist of 



Oxide of lead 72- 1 7 or Chloride of lead 1 0838 



Lime 6*47 — Fluoride of calcium . . 1 *094 



Muriatic acid 2*00 — Subphosphate of lead . 77*015 



Phosphoric and muriatic 1 , 9 . 36 _ Subphosphate of lime . 1 1 -053 

 acids and loss J r r 



100 100 



Ibid. 



NEW RADICAL ANALOGOUS TO CYANOGEN. 



M. Liebig states that he has found a new radical composed of 

 3 atoms of carbon and 5 of azote ; it is a pulverulent body, insoluble 

 in water, and decomposes at a red heat, into azote and pure cyanogen, 

 in the proportion of 1 : 3. It combines with potassium, and furnishes, 

 by combining with acids and alkalies, a series of new combinations. 

 One of these bodies treated with nitric acid gives ammonia, and a new 

 acid, which is soluble in water, and crystallizes on cooling in plates 

 of a brilliant metallic appearance. This acid is perfectly similar in 

 composition to cyanuric acid, but the weight of its atom is double ; 

 its formula is C 6 N 6 H 6 O fi . By distillation hydrated cyanic acid, &c, 

 are obtained. — Ann. de Chim. et de Phys., torn. liv. p. 252. 



