CHEMISTRY. 45o 



gards the iiitrifyiug power of orgauisius, he coucliule« that uo one who 

 has worked with isolated bacteria has obtaiued more thau a mere trice 

 of nitric or nitrous acid iu ammoniacal solutious. On tlie other hand, 

 the mixed organisms present in arable !?oil produce distinct and com- 

 plete nitrification iu ammoniacal liquids containing twenty-five parts of 

 nitrogen in the million. Of twenty-five organisms studied, sixteen re- 

 duced nitrates with considerable vigor, and seven were entirely destitute 

 of reducing capacity. The reduction was from nitrates to nitrites, and 

 not to nitrogen. (Jonrn. Chem. Soc, Liii, 727.) 



The chemistry of Jifih. — Atwater has published in the form of a pre- 

 liminary notice the results of his elaborate analyses of the flesh of 

 American food-fishes. One hundred and twenty-two specimens belong- 

 ing to fifty-two species were examined, together with two Enroi)ean 

 fishes, and an account of the methods of analysis is included iu the 

 statement. The results are given in the form of elaborate tables, which 

 are not suitable for abstraction. ( Amer. Chem. Journ., ix, 421, and x, 1.) 



