280 Chronicles of Science. [^pril, 



resolution which would, it was believed, tend to promote scientific 

 investigation. At the present time gentlemen were frequently 

 deterred from the prosecution of interesting investigations by the 

 great expense which they entailed upon the experimenter. To miti- 

 gate this difficulty it was now resolved that a certain sum of money 

 not exceeding 50Z. should be set aside annually as a grant fund in 

 aid of original research. Any claims for grants from this fund 

 which were sent in would be investigated by a committee consisting 

 of four members of council. The Committee recommended that, 

 excej)t in special cases, each single grant should not exceed lUZ. 

 In accordance with this resolution, gentlemen who wished to pro- 

 secute researches were now invited to apply in writing to the 

 Secretary for grants. It was of course to be understood that 

 results obtained with the assistance of such grants must be com- 

 municated in the first instance to the Chemical Society. 



Two papers followed of great theoretical mterest, but too 

 abstruse to bear condensation here. They were " Researches on 

 the Action of Sodium on the Ethers of the Fatty Acids," by Pro- 

 fessor Wanklyn, and on some compounds of "Phosphorus with 

 Nitrogen," by Dr. J. H. Gladstone. 



On December 17th the only paper was by Dr. J. Emerson 

 Pieynolds, " On the Isolation of the Missing Sulphm* Urea." The 

 new substance crystallizes in long fine needles or in short thick 

 prisms, in either case belonging to the trimetric system. It is 

 not deliquescent in moderately dry air, is very soluble in water 

 and alcohol, and sparingly so in ether. The solution froths slightly 

 on agitation, has a neutral reaction, and a somewhat bitter taste. 

 Heated with water in a sealed tube for some hours to 140^ C, it is 

 reconverted into sulpho-cyanate of ammonium, as may be shown 

 by the iron test. The urea does not give a colour-reaction with 

 the test. Hydrochloric and sulphuric acids effect a similar change. 

 The substance fuses at 156'' C. Heated to a higher temperature 

 in a closed tube it evolves sulphide of ammonium, carbonic disul- 

 phide and ammonia ; the mixture blackens, a yellow oil distils 

 over, and a white mass remains which strongly resembles Liebig's 

 hydromellone. A beautifully-crystallized nitrate of the new m'ea was 

 prepared by treating the strong aqueous solution with nitric acid of 

 sp. gr. 1 • 25. No hydrochlorate nor oxalate could be obtained. 



At the meeting on January 21st, the first paper read was, 

 " On the Chemical Composition of Canaiiba Wax," by Nevil Story 

 Maskelyne, M.A. This wax is the product of a palm — the Coper- 

 nicia cerifera — known to the Brazilians as the Canaiiba tree. 

 The glaucous coating which protects the younger leaves contains 

 the wax in the proportion of about 50 grains to the leaf. It is 

 collected and melted into a mass, and in this state constitutes a 



