1869.] Geologij. 595 



manganite of calcium, and enables more chlorine to be obtained 

 from a given quantity of hydrochloric acid than has hitherto been 

 usually obtained therefrom. 



Mr. Sorby sent a short note on Jargonia, in which he stated 

 that zhconia was white, but that after ignition jargonia is of a clear 

 straw-colour, paler than that of tungstic acid, but deeper than that 

 of ceroso-ceric oxide. 



Dr. Andrews read a short paper " On the Absorption Bands 

 of Bile." A solution of bile in water or alcohol exhibits in the 

 stereoscope well-marked absorption bands, which may be used as a 

 characteristic test for the presence of bUe, and even as a means of 

 estimating approximately its amount in m-iue or other liquids 

 having no absorption bands of their own. 



Professor Janssen then delivered in French a discourse " On the 

 Approximate Estimation of Sodium by Spectrum Analysis," which 

 was followed by a discom'se on the absorption of the rays of the 

 spectrum by the vapour of water. Both these papers were copiously 

 illustrated on the black board. 



Mr. Spence then read a paper " On the Production of Higher 

 Temperature by Steam of 212^ Fahrenheit," and showed by ex- 

 periment that the steam of boiling water at 212°, passing through a 

 saturated solution of nitrate of soda, raised the temperature to 238°. 



An interesting paper by Dr Fritsche, a Eussian chemist, " On 

 the Structural Change in Block Tin," was read by Mr. Koberts, of 

 Her Majesty's Mint. Dr. Fritsche found that the intense cold of 

 St. Petersburg, during the winter of 1867, caused sohd blocks of 

 tin to crumble and fall into pieces. That the change was due to 

 intense cold was proved by submitting blocks of tin to a tem- 

 perature of —40° C., when the same structm-e was induced. 



Our space will not enable us to do more than allude to several 

 important papers on Water Supply and Utilization of Sewage, 

 which were communicated by Dr. Paul, E. C. C. Stanford, and H. 

 Bamber, and which are referred to at greater length in our report 

 of Section Gr (Mechanical Science). 



Geology. (Section C.) 



Professor E. Harkness, F.E.S., the President of this Section, 

 adopted for the subject of his opening address the Geology of Devon- 

 shire. He first spoke of the Pilton beds, which form the link 

 between the Devonian and Carboniferous series, so well seen in this 

 county, and which have been so ably investigated by Murchison 

 and Sedgwick, Godwin-Austen, De la Beche, Lonsdale, Phillips, 



2 s 2 



