76 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



fine green flame, accompanied with thick fumes of boracic acid, but 



without leaving any solid residue. 



By analysis corrected by calculation, the substance appeared to be 



composed of — 



Boracic acid 23-91 436'2 



Carbon 49'35 900-0 



Hydrogen 10-28 187-5 



Oxygen 16'46 300 



100-00 1823-7 



Its formula is BO 3 3C 4 H 5 O. 



The results of analyses were confirmed by those of the vapour of 

 the aether, Avhich gave the following numbers : — 



1 volume of the vapour of Boron .... 1-506 



12 ... of Carbon 10054 



30 ... of Hydrogen 2076 



6 ... of Oxygen 6-636 



^^ = 5-068. 

 4 



The reaction which gives rise to borate of aether is the same as 

 that from which silicate of aether is derived : — 



BC1 3 + 3C 4 H<5 02 = BO 3 3C 4 H 5 O + 3HC1, 

 SiCl + C 4 H G O 2 = SiO C 4 H O + HC1. 



If SiO 3 be admitted to represent the formula of silica, the two 

 formulas would have been perfectly similar. But it must be observed 

 that in this notation SiCl 3 would represent 3 volumes of chloride of 

 silicium, whilst the formula BC1 3 corresponds to 4 volumes of chlo- 

 ride of silicium. This difference, stated by M. Dumas, in the con- 

 densation of the elements, also occurs in the densities of the fluo- 

 rides of boron and silicium. It also occurs, as just shown with bo- 

 racic and silicic aethers, for SiOC 4 H^ O corresponds to 1 volume of 

 vapour only. It will be observed, that in both cases 1 volume of 

 vapour of chlorine produces 1 volume of vapour of aether. 



Vitreous Borate of JEther. — It has been stated, that after prepa- 

 ring the above-described compound, there remains in the retort a 

 substance which becomes solid, assuming a vitreous aspect. It is 

 transparent and possesses the same odour as the protoborate, and a 

 very bitter taste, which distinguishes it perfectly from boracic aether 

 (BO 3 ) 3C 4 H 3 O, the taste of which is burning. The latter is also 

 decomposed by water much more readily than the vitreous product. 



By analysis it yielded 26*7 carbon and 6'0 hydrogen, which evi- 

 dently is the same proportions as in aether, C 4 H 5 O. This substance 

 requires, however, to be further examined. 



The authors state, that they had supposed that by distilling the 

 protoborate with alcohol slightly diluted, they should produce com- 

 pounds analogous to those which are obtained by the same method 

 with protosilicate of aether, that is to say, aethers containing increa- 

 sing quantities of acid. They did not, however, succeed. Borate of 

 aether heated with alcohol of 36°, and entirely distilled at a tempe- 



