1869.] 



Cliemistrij. 529 



been detected in great abundance by Mr. BosweJl-Syme, in Loch 

 Gelly and Camilla Loch. Mr. H. C. Watson and Rev. W. W. 

 Spicer record WoIJia (Lemna) arrhiza in several fresh localities 

 in Surrey. Phegopteris plumosa (J. Smith) from Kew Gardens, 

 originally from Yorkshfre, is pronounced by Mr. J, G. Baker to 

 be nothing but a very delicate finely-cut form of Athyrium Filix- 

 femina. We are glad to observe that the number of members of 

 this useful society has considerably increased during the last two 

 years. 



Botanical Aj^pointmejii. — Mr. J. G. Baker, Assistant-Curator 

 at the Kew Herbarium, has been appointed Lecturer on Botany 

 at the London Hospital, in the place of Dr. Silver. 



Death. — Dr. Chas. Jas. Meller, Dfrector of the Botanic Gardens 

 at the Mamitius, the companion of Dr. Livingstone in several of 

 his journeys, died on the 26th of February, at the age of thfrty- 

 three, of fever, in New South Wales, while on a tour on behalf of 

 the government of Mauritius, for the purpose of collecting informa- 

 tion concerning the cultivation of the sugar-cane. 



5. CHEMISTRY. 



(Including the Proceedings of tlie Chemical Society.) 



The new earth which we announced in our last Chronicles as 

 having been discovered by Mr. Sorby, F.R.S., in some specimens 

 of zfrcon or jargon, has been submitted to chemical examination by 

 Mr. Forbes, F.R.S., who, as a result of this examination, has pub- 

 hshed a quantitative analysis of the specimen of jargon in which 

 the discoveiy was first made. 



The jargon employed was in fragments, being part of an almost 

 colourless crystal, forwarded by Mr. Sorby, who had previously 

 found, by optical examination, that it showed with great distinctness 

 the peculiar and characteristic spectrum which he ascribes to the 

 presence of the new element jargonium, and noticed that the 

 bands became much more pronounced after ignition and cooKng. 



Space will not allow us to append the analytical processes 

 employed ; but we may briefly state that the result of the exami- 

 nation when summed up indicates the composition of the jargon to 

 be as follows : — 



Silica 33-61 



Zirconia a 46-12 



„ i8 ^jargonia?) 7'64:V66-28 



„ 7 ,, 12-64' 



Sesquioxide of iron - 24 



I 



100-13 

 VOL. VI. 2 O 



