164 Dr. E. Frankland on a New Series of 



well with the theoretical one, when it is considered that oxide of 

 stansethylium is not absolutely insoluble in excess of ammonia. 



Oxide of stanaithylium presents the appearance of a somewhat 

 cream-white amorphous powder, closely resembling peroxide of 

 tin, but less heavy than that oxide ; it has a peculiar though 

 slight sethereal odour and a bitter taste ; it is insoluble in water, 

 alcohol and aether, but readily dissolves in solutions of acids and 

 of the fixed alkalies ; with acids it forms salts, which are, how- 

 ever, for the most part difficultly crystallizable ; those with strong 

 acids exhibit an acid reaction. The nitrate deflagrates when 

 heated to about 120^ C, and on the application of a higher heat 

 becomes pure peroxide of tin. The salts of oxide of stansethy- 

 lium behave with reagents so nearly like the salts of peroxide of 

 tin, that the two are very difficult to distinguish from each other. 



Sulphuret of Stancethylium. — When sulphuretted hydrogen is 

 passed through an acid solution of a salt of stansethylium, a 

 cream-coloured precipitate falls, which is insoluble in dilute acids 

 and ammonia, but soluble in concentrated hydrochloric acid, 

 solutions of the fixed alkalies, and alkaline sulphurets ; from its 

 solutions in the fixed alkalies and alkaline sulphurets, it is repre- 

 cipitated, unchanged, on the addition of an acid. I have made 

 no analyses of this body, but there is no doubt that its formula 

 is C* H^ Sn S, and that it is produced by the following reaction — 



C4 H^ SnO + HS = C4 H^ SnS + HO. 



Sulphuret of stansethylium presents the appearance of an 

 amorphous cream-coloured powder, having a pungent and very 

 nauseous smell, resembling decayed horse-radish : when heated it 

 fuses, froths up and decomposes, emitting vapours of a most 

 insupportable odour. Heated with nitric acid it is decomposed 

 with the formation of peroxide of tin. 



Chloride of Stancethylium, C'^H^SnCl. — This salt is best 

 prepared by dissolving oxide of stansethylium in dilute hydro- 

 chloric acid : on evaporation at a gentle heat or over sulphuric 

 acid in vacuo, the chloride crystallizes out in long colourless 

 needles, isomorphous with the iodide, which salt it also closely 

 resembles in all its properties ; it is however more volatile, and 

 therefore emits a more intensely pungent and irritating odour 

 than the iodide. 



Stanathijlium. — When a strip of zinc is immersed in a solution 

 of a salt of stansethylium (a solution of the chloride of stansethy- 

 lium is the best for this purpose) it speedily becomes covered 

 with dense oily drops of a yellow colour, which finally separate 

 from the lower extremity of the zinc and accumulate at the bot- 

 tom of the vessel; the formation of the oily liquid is much 

 favoured by the application of a gentle heat. The yellow oil 



