502 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



discussed. Examination of some of the hypotheses by which its so- 

 lution has been attempted, and in which meteorites have been sup- 

 posed to originate in the Earth or its atmosphere — the volcanos of the 

 Moon — other planets — the Sun — the planetary spaces — more di- 

 stant parts of the Universe — to be themselves minute planets or sa- 

 tellites, fr gments of planets which have been destroyed, or matter 

 preparin ; i : the formation of new worlds. Relations of this sub- 

 ject to thai of the identity or similarity of Fire-Bails and the meteors 

 called Shooting Stars : recent simultaneous appearance at distant parts 

 of the globe of showers of shooting stars — their alleged periodicity. 

 Manifest connexion between the physical and chemical characters 

 of Mete :ites and the phenomena which attend their fall ; the former 

 illustiated from the molecular constitution of the stony lavas, in the 

 flowing state: resulting inferences as to the intimate nature of Igneous 

 Meteors. Connexion of this branch of the subject with many im- 

 portant objects of inquiry in Meteorology, Astronomy, and Geology. 

 Conclusion. 



The illustration of the characters of meteorites from the molecular 

 constitution of the stony lavas, in the flowing state, to be alluded to 

 in the concluding lecture, arises from the application to the subject 

 of Meteorites, of certain considerations derived from Mr. Scrope's 

 inductions respecting the constitution of lava and the nature of its 

 apparent fluidity. I have, for the last four years, been in the habit 

 of explaining and supporting those inductions, in lectures on Igneous 

 Geology. The following is the manner in which I have most re- 

 cently treated this subject, as stated in the Syllabus of some lectures 

 on Igneous Geology delivered at Clapham in June last, in sequence of 

 others given by Dr. Mantell on those departments of geological and 

 palseontological science to which his own discoveries and researches 

 have so greatly contributed. 



" Currents of Lava — their particular Nature and History — the 

 Minerals of which they are constituted. — Stony Lavas* — Graystone 

 — Trachyte — Basalt. — Glassy Lavas — Obsidian — Pitchstone — Pearl- 

 stone — Pumice. — Alternate production of Stone and Glass from the 

 same Materials, both in Volcanic and in Artificial Operations. — Cir- 

 cumstances under which this takes place. — Difference between the 

 Molecular Constitution of the Stony Lavas and that of the Glassy, 

 in the flowing state. — Important theoretical bearings of this branch 

 of the subject." E. W. B. 



London Institution, Nov. 8, 1841. 



ACTION OF SULPHURIC ACID ON PROTOSULPHATE OF IRON. 



M. Callond states, that when cold concentrated sulphuric acid is 

 added to protosulphate of iron, the acid becomes of a red colour, 

 which is more or less intense. When the sulphuric acid, on ac- 

 count of its deficient density, or any organic matter which it may 

 contain, does not produce the effect, a drop or two of nitric acid 

 rapidly produces it, without the application of heat. — Journal de 

 Chimie Medkele, June, 1841. 



