18 ALKALI NITRITES ; EDWARD DIVERS. 



the upper part of some kilos, of the commercial salt, which 

 had become well drained by long standing. They were removed 

 in very dry weather and weighed, and then found to lose hardly 

 one per cent, on fusion. The anhydrous character of the salt 

 was further ascertained by heating a cake of minute crystals, 

 prepared by myself, which had been pressed, under cover, 

 between porous tiles, in cold dry air. The loss of weight on 

 heating, much above 100°, was a little over one per cent., and 

 the percentage of potassium was 45.30, instead of 45.88, 

 required for the anhydrous salt. 



Somewhat remarkably, the point as to hydration of potas- 

 sium nitrite was examined independently in the same year, 

 1863, by Lang and by Hampe, with identical results, indicat- 

 ing the composition expressed by (KN0.3)o,0R.. But then both 

 chemists made the determination upon a magma of indistinct 

 crystals, dried up in the vacuum-desiccator. 



