332 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 



VOL. 54 



According to Adie ' the differences between the low and high values 

 for bismuth are due to the presence of silicon in the metal. A prelimin- 

 ary determination of the atomic weight, made with pure bismuth, gave 

 Bi = 208.8, approximately, Adie's explanation of the discrepancies re- 

 mains to be substantiated by others. 



Birckenbach/ working under the direction of Gutbier, effected the 

 synthesis of bismuth oxide, and also studied its reduction. Bismuth 

 from three distinct sources was employed in the investigation. First, 

 the metal was converted into nitrate, and then calcined to oxide, which 

 latter was proved to be free from occluded gases. The data obtained 

 were as follows: 



Preliminary 8enes. 



Mean, 89.651, ± .0021 



Hence Bi= 207.905. 



Mean, 89.656, ± .0010 

 Hence Bi = 208.02. 



The reduction of bismuth oxide' to bismuth gave Birckenbach the fol- 

 lowing results : 



Preliminary Seiies. 

 Bi,0,. 

 2.43105 

 2.9547 

 1.65199 

 2.4103 



Mean, 89.660, ± .0041 



Hence Bi = 208.11. 



iProc. Cambridge Phil. Soc, 12, 240. 1903. 



* Inaug. Diss., Erlangen, 1905. The oxidation series also appears undor the authorship of 

 Gutbier and Birckenbach, in Journ. prakt. Chem. (2), 47, 457. 1908. 



