468 Glironicles of Science. [Jiily, 



has succeeded in obtaining, by means of great perseverance, zircon- 

 magnesia cones, wliich, instead of being very breakable and only 

 lasting for a few nights, are fit for use for any length of time." 



Mr. D. Winstanley has described an apparatus for obtaining a 

 light from the combustion of disulphide of carbon. It consists of 

 a water-bath, heated by a Bunsen gas-burner. Within the water- 

 bath is placed a vessel to hold disulphide of carbon. The outer and 

 inner vessels are firmly soldered together, and proper arrangements 

 are made to enable the experimenter to pour water in the outer 

 vessel, which is also provided with a neck to hold a thermometer, 

 serving to indicate when the temperature at which the disulphide 

 of carbon contained in the inner vessel boils. The inner vessel is 

 provided with a neck, closed by a well-fitting cap when the appa- 

 ratus is in use, for the introduction of the fluid disulphide of carbon. 

 Besides this, there is soldered to the inner vessel a gas-pipe of small 

 bore, which pipe projects at a convenient height above the outer 

 vessel. To this pipe is soldered and connected at right angles 

 another pipe provided with a stopcock, and further connected, by 

 means of elastic tubing, with a gas-holder containing oxygen gas 

 made from chlorate of potash. After the application of gas-flame 

 beneath the water-bath, the thermometer is watched until it indi- 

 cates that the vapour of the bisulphide of carbon is issuing from 

 the burner (from the gas-pij^e connected with the inner vessel) ; 

 the heat is allowed to continue beneath the water-bath until the 

 flame reaches the flaring point, when it is lessened almost to extinc- 

 tion. The oxygen gas is then cautiously introduced, upon which 

 the flame at once diminishes in size and increases greatly in bril- 

 liancy. This light is proposed for use in photography, on account 

 of its great actinism : as a source of intense heat it may also perhaps 

 be recommended. 



Heat. — While engaged in other studies on geology in the 

 southern parts of France, M. Andouiu found that between Tarascon 

 and Antibes there exists a very valuable and extensive bed of 

 bauxite (hydrate of alumma), which is occasionally apphed for the 

 manufacture of sulphate of alumina. This material has been 

 applied at his suggestion for the manufacture of crucibles and fire- 

 bricks ; and on having been tested in comparison witli the best 

 products of the kind from France, England, and Germany, it was 

 found that even best firc-lnicks might be melted in bauxite-made 

 crucibles, heated by mineral oils and a blast. 



In reference to the well-established fact that water, after having 

 been deprived of tiir as much as possible, either does not l)oil at all 

 when heated, or does so with violent sudilen starts and concussions, 



