576 Transactions. — Chemistry. 



group of chlorine radicals, owing to the non-acidity of its hydride 

 in water, the composition of its acidic compounds with oxygen, 

 and lastly, as here shown, its refusal to unite directly with 

 certain metals. 



I, then, in conclusion, state the position I would take in 

 the controversy that I started, and it is this : that, while not 

 disputing the correctness of the general opinion that cyanogen 

 stands in close relation to the radical carboxyl, in which case 

 it is monoatomic, and so comparing with the chlorous radi- 

 cals, I still maintain that it is on certain occasions diatomic, 

 and so comparable with oxygen. It has, in fact, as I believe, 

 a varying atomicity or quantivalence, according to the nature 

 of its environment. 



As you are aware, this compound can assume allotropic 

 states — that is, like oxygen, it can combine with itself— and an 

 intercombination such as this might, I think, give us cyanogen 

 in the form of a "dyad"; but this is a matter that requires 

 further consideration. 



It is only right that I should inform you that Professor 

 Black, of the Otago University, has proved by a series of 

 experiments which are practically contemporaneous with 

 mine that if cyanogen does dissolve gold it is only at a very 

 slow rate as compared with the action of potassic cyanide on 

 this metal. However, as it appears that a very suggestive 

 query that I proposed bearing on this matter started this 

 gentleman on these experiments, I feel sure that this gentle- 

 man will, with his accustomed magnanimity and feelings of 

 good-fellowship for his brother-workers in the field of science, 

 concede to me the position of leader in this investigation. 



Akt. LIX. — Further Besults shoiving that Free Cyanogen 

 does not dissolve or even attack Gold. 



By William Skey, Analyst to the Department of Mines. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 7th October, 1896.] 



The scientific and other interests that attach to the state- 

 ments I made before the Society a few weeks ago, that 

 free cyanogen does not attack gold, has induced me to con- 

 tinue my investigations on the subject by the application of 

 tests of a more severe character even than those were upon 

 which I based this statement. 



I should premise the description of the results of this 

 further investigation by informing you that soon after the 



