298 Royal Society. 



L. & E. Phil. Mag., vol. xv., p. 317. EDIT.] into the mode in 

 which the chemical elements group themselves together to consti- 

 tute radicles, or proximate principles. He considers his experi- 

 ments as establishing the principle that, considered as electrolytes, 

 the inorganic oxy-acid salts must be regarded as compounds of me- 

 tals, or of that extraordinary compound of nitrogen and four equi- 

 valents of hydrogen to which Berzelius has given the name of 

 ammonium, and compound anions, chlorine, iodine, &c., of the Ha- 

 loide salts ; and as showing that this evidence goes far to establish 

 experimentally the hypothesis originally brought forward by Davy, 

 of the general analogy in the constitution of all salts, whether de- 

 rived from oxy-acids or hydro-acids. Some remarks are made on the 

 subject of nomenclature, and the rest of the paper is occupied with 

 the details of the experiments, all bearing on the important subject 

 which he has undertaken to investigate. 



May 28. The following papers were read, viz. : 



1. " Meteorological Register kept at Port Arthur, Van Diemen's* 

 Land, during the year 1838, and Register of Tides at Port Arthur, 

 from August 1838 to July 1839, both inclusive." By Deputy- 

 Assistant-Commissary-General Lempriere. Communicated by Sir 

 John Franklin, R.N., F.R.S., &c. 



2. " Notice relative to the form of the Blood-particles of the 

 Ornithorhynchus hystrix." By John Davy, M.D., F.R.S. 



A portion of the blood of the Ornithorhynchus hystrix, mixed 

 when fresh with a strong solution of common salt, being examined 

 by the author, exhibited a few globules of irregular shape. Another 

 portion, preserved in syrup, contained numerous globules, most of 

 which had an irregular form, but many were circular ; none, how- 

 ever, were elliptical, like those of birds. Hence the author con- 

 cludes, that in form they accord more with those of Mammalia. 



3. " Researches on Electro-chemical equivalents, and on a sup- 

 posed discrepancy between some of them and the atomic weight of 

 the same bodies, as deduced from the theory of isomorphism." By 

 Lieut. -Colonel P. Yorke. Communicated by Michael Faraday, Esq., 

 D.C.L., F.R.S., &c. 



The author describes various experiments made with a view to 

 determine the electro- chemical equivalents of sodium and potassium. 

 Three experiments gave, respectively, 22'3, 22'9, and 25, as the 

 equivalent of the former ; and two other experiments gave, respect- 

 ively, 45 and 41'7, as the equivalent of the latter of these sub- 

 stances. He then inquires what would be the result of the electro- 

 lyzation of the aqueous solutions of soda and potash, on the hypo- 

 thesis of these bodies being composed of two equivalents, or atoms, 

 of metal, and one of oxygen. To determine this question he em- 

 ploys a solution of dichloride of copper in muriatic acid, as being a 

 substance composed of two atoms of metal and one of an electro- 

 negative element. Its electrolysis gave as the equivalent of copper, 

 52'8, 59'4, and 6T6, numbers approximating closely to 63'2, or 

 double the atomic weight of copper. After a long train of investi- 

 gation, he concludes that there is no reason deducible from the 



