Meteorological Observations. 159 



protoxide that this method may also be used. The carbonate and 

 bicarbonate of potash produce the same effects. 



6th. Vegetable infusions, treated with chloride of gold and excess 

 of a fixed alkali, produce, at a moderately high temperature, or still 

 better by contact of some hours' duration, an abundant precipitate 

 of protoxide of gold, retaining, however, a little organic matter. 



7th. The acetate, citrate and the tartrate of potash, with an excess 

 of potash, form under the same circumstances protoxide of gold. 



The preceding facts seem to determine pretty clearly the action 

 of organic salts upon chloride of gold : when an alkali is present, 

 protoxide is precipitated ; but if the salts be neutral or acid, metallic 

 gold is thrown down : these facts are proved by a very simple ex- 

 periment ; when solution of gold is boiled, tartaric acid or neutral 

 tartrate of potash, a precipitate of gold is formed ; but if the liquor 

 be filtered which contains some undecomposed chloride of gold, and 

 potash be added in excess, a blackish-violet precipitate of protoxide 

 is immediately obtained. — Ann. de Ch. et de Ph., Juillet 1844. 



[The properties and composition of the protoxide and some other 

 compounds of gold will be given in a future number. — Ed. P. M.] 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS FOR JUNE 1844. 

 Chisuiick. — June 1. Clear and fine, 2. Overcast and cold : fine : cloudy. 3. 

 Light clouds and very fine. 4, 5. Very fine. 6. Slight rain ; cloudy. 7. Over- 

 cast : boisterous. 8. Very fine. 9. Slight rain : very fine- 10. Fine: cloudy. 

 II — 16. Very fine. 17. Hot and dry : cloudy. 18. Rain: fine. 19. Overcast: 

 heavy clouds, with showers. 20. Overcast. 21, 22. Very fine. 23. Exceed- 

 ingly clear : sultry. 24. Cloudy : hot and sultry. 25. Constant heavy rain. 

 26. Cloudy: fine. 27. Cloudy. 28,29. Very fine. 30. Dry haze: overcast and 

 fine. — Mean temperature of the month 2°'19 above the average. 



Boston. — June 1. Fine. 2, 3. Cloudy. 4. Fine. 5. Cloudy. 6. Rain 

 early a.m. : rain a.m. 7. Cloudy. 8. Cloudy : thermometer at 4 o'clock 75°. 

 9. Cloudy. 10. Fine : rain A.M. 11. Fine. 12. Fine i thermometer 4 o'clock 

 75°. 13. Fine : stormy all day. 14,15. Stormy. 16,17. Fine. 18. Cloudy. 

 19,20. Cloudy : rain A.M. and P.M. 21. Cloudy. 22. Fine. 23. Fine: ther- 

 mometer at noon 81°. 24. Fine: rain early a.m., with thunder and lightning: 

 thermometer at noon 80°. 25. Cloudy: rain a.m. and p.m. 26,27. Cloudy. 

 28—30. Fine. 



Sandwick Manse, Orkney. — June 1. Cloudy. 2, 3. Bright; cloudy. 4. Showers: 

 cloudy. 5 — 7. Showers: rain. 8. Bright : cloudy. 9. Cloudy : showers. 10, 

 11. Bright: drops. 1 2. Bright : rain. 13. Showers : bright. 14,15. Showers, 

 16. Bright: clear. 17. Clear. 18. Drizzle. 19. Drizzle: drops. 20. Showers i 

 drops. 21. Clear. 22. Fog. 23. Drops: clear. 24. Hazy : clear. 25. Clear : 

 cloudy. 26, 27. Cloudy. 28. Cloudy : damp. 29, 30. Cloudy. 



Applegarlh Manse, Dumfries-shire. — June 1. Dry and withering. 2. Dry and 

 withering: cloudy. 3. P'ine. 4. Cloudy and threatening rain. 5,6. Rain. 

 7. Very wet. 8. Fair, but cloudy. 9. Fair: threatening. 10. Showers. 11. 

 One slight shower. 12, 13. Heavy rain. 14, 15. Fair. 16. Fair and fine. 

 17,18. Rain. 19. Fair. 20, 21. Rain. 22. Fair. 23. Fair and warm: 

 thunder. 24. Rain. 25. Showery. 26 — 30. Fair and fine. 



Mean temperature of the month 55°*I 



Mean temperature of June 1 843 54 •? 



Mean temperature of spring-water 51 'Q 



Mean temperature of ditto June 1843 50 '7 



