Intelligence and Miscellatieous Articles. 157 



organized product; on this and on the sides of the vessel there 

 were formed abundance of fine crystals of hydrated carbonate of lime. 

 The filtered water slightly precipitated acetate of lead. The forma- 

 tion of carbonate of lime and mucilage ceased as the spring advanced 

 and in the summer. M. Dessaignes observed beneath the malate of 

 lime, which diminished insensibly, the formation of a stratum of very 

 fine and compact prismatic crystals. This stratum was raised by 

 some large bubbles of gas which were given out by the malate of lime. 

 This mass of crystals was dissolved in hot water, precipitated by car- 

 bonate of soda and filtered. By this there was obtained a slightly 

 coloured solution, which, with the addition of alcohol and ammonia, 

 precipitated nitrate of lead, nitrate of silver, neutral perchlorideof iron, 

 and chloride of barium. The liquor was concentrated, treated with 

 a slight excess of hydrochloric acid, and evaporated to dryness, the 

 residue being repeatedly treated with boiling aether. The aethereal 

 solution gave by spontaneous evaporation fine crystals of an acid 

 which was volatilized without decomposing, burnt without residue 

 on platina foil, and was in fact succinic acid. 

 It appeared to be composed of — 



Carbon 40-68 



Hydrogen 5*08 



Oxygen 54*24 



100-00 



At the sitting of the Academy of Sciences on the 2nd inst. Sir 

 David Brewster was elected one of the eight foreign associate mem- 

 bers of the National Institute of France, vacant by the death of the 

 celebrated chemist, M. Berzelius. 



JOURNEY TO DISCOVER THE SOURCES OF THE NILE. 



In our number for December last* we announced the arrival of 

 Dr. Bialloblotzky at Alexandria. According to letters since received 

 from him by Dr. Beke, he left Suez for Aden on the 22nd of Novem- 

 ber, by the East India Company's steam-packet " Adjdaha," by which 

 a free passage had been granted him by the Court of Directors ; and 

 at the latter place he was awaiting (Dec. 11) the arrival from Djid- 

 dah of a small steam-vessel with pilgrims returning from Mecca to 

 the Persian Gulf, by which he intended to proceed to MakuUa, on 

 the south coast of Arabia. He there expected to meet with an Arab 

 vessel to take him to Mombas, on the east coast of Africa, from which 

 place he would commence his journey into the interior. 



Dr. Beke informs us that he has just received a letter from Cap- 

 tain Haines, I.N., Political Agent at Aden, dated Dec. 24, informing 

 him that Dr. Bialloblotzky had left that place for Makulla by the 

 steamer " Sir Charles Forbes," Capt. Lichfield, and it was expected 

 that by the end of the month he would be able to sail from Makulla 

 for Mombas. 



• Vol. xxxiii, p. 481. 



