136 PROFESSOR CALVERT ON THE 



the sexhasic nitrate of lead, by pouring the same solution of 

 potash into a solution of nitrate of lead of specific gravity 

 1*114 at 60° Fahrenheit. The third salt obtained was an 

 octohasic nitrate of lead, which resulted from pouring the 

 same solution of caustic putash into a solution of nitrate of 

 lead, having only a specific gravity of 1*023 at 62° Fahren- 

 heit. This salt is while and amorphous, loses its water 

 when heated slowly, and its nitric acid if heated to redness. 

 The analysis is as follows : — 



35-884 of substance left 33-260 of oxide, or 92-687 

 21-608 „ lost l-23o of nitric acid, or S'TIO 



20-913 „ „ 0-386 of water, or 



100-000 



ACTION OF AMMONIA ON THE NITKATES OF LEAD AT 

 COMMON TEMPERATURES. 



The action of these two compounds gave a series of new 

 and interesting salts, of which chemistry possesses no simi- 

 lar example. The action consists in gradually substituting, 

 by ammonia, one of the six equivalents of oxide of lead which 

 exist in the sexbasic nitrate, the other compound of this 

 salt remaining the same. Ammonia and nitrate of lead also 

 afford the means of obtaining tribasivand sexbasic nitrates 

 of lead, analogous in composition to those salts which Sir R. 

 Kean obtained with the nitrates of mercury a few years since, 

 namely, substituting one or two equivalents of their water 

 of crystallisation by one or two equivalents of ammonia. 



The first salt I shall examine, is derived from the sex- 

 hasic nitrate of lead, in which ammonia replaces gradually 

 the oxide of lead. I give to these salts the name of 

 hydrated ammoniacal nitrates of lead. The first salt I shall 

 describe is the most basic salt of the series, the hydrated am- 



