1824.} 
the summer, in Sweden. It was first no- 
ticed by Linnzeus, and described as a lichen 
by Baron Wrangel. But Prof. H. having 
had the opportunity of comparing the lichen 
and the red-snow from the Arctic expedi- 
tion, found them to be absolutely the same 
substance. ‘There is consequently no longer 
any reason to suppose the colour of the 
snow owing to any animalcule. 
Heat of the Prismatic Rays.—M. See- 
beck, of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, 
by a series of very accurate experiments on 
the comparative heating properties of the 
colorific rays of the spectrum, has found, 
that throughout the whole extent of the 
coloured surface, the mercury of the ther- 
mometer became raised. It was least af- 
fected in the limits of the violet; it gradu- 
ally increased through the blue and the 
green; and under different media, as water, 
alcohol, and oil of turpentine, the heat was 
at its maximum in the yellow rays. In 
other substances, as a solution of sal-am- 
moniac, or muriate of mercury, or sulphuric 
acid, and a few others, the greatest heat 
was attained in the orange portion of the 
spectrum. M. Seebeck found the greatest 
heat through a prism of crown glass, or of 
common white glass, in the middle of the 
red rays; and through flint glass the maxi- 
mum heat was just at the verge, or scarcely 
beyond the well-defined red rays, after which 
the heat rapidly declines. Contrary to the 
observations of some preceding philoso- 
phers, who have assigned the maximum 
heat to the region beyond the coloured rays, 
M. Seebeck found the muriate of silver a 
very beautiful and delicate agent in these 
experiments. They are not only interest- 
ing, from the correction which they afford 
to former experiments on the decomposition 
of the solar beam, but as proving the inti- 
mate connexion which exists between light 
and chemical agency. 
Prussic Acid.—It has been long known 
that the Prussic acid constituted one of the 
most powerful poisons with which we are 
acquainted, owing to its violent attraction 
for oxygen. A physician of Jena, M. J. T. 
Becker, has recently proved by an elaborate 
series of experiments, that its deleterious 
agency on vegetable life is no less certain. 
Grains and seeds of various kinds, on being 
steeped a short time in a solution of this 
acid, have their germinating properties de- 
stroyed. And a portion of this liquid being 
applied to the roots of a living plant, speed- 
ily destroys vegetation. These facts might 
lead to a very interesting problem con- 
nected with agricultural chemistry. 
Substitute for Silver.—Dr. Geitner, a prac- 
tical chemist at Schneeburg in Upper Sax- 
ony, has invented a compound metal, which 
is described as having all the valuable pro- 
perties of silver. It bears a high polish, is 
malleable and ductile, and neither subject 
to corrode nor tarnish. It has already been 
employed with advantage in the manufac- 
Spirit of Philosophical Discovery. 
439 
ture of various articles usually made of 
plate; and, according to the German jour- 
nals, bids fair to supply its place in a great 
variety of manufactures. 
Natural History.—Mons. P. Huber (son 
of M. Huber, already well known for his 
profound researches on the habits and eco- 
nomy of ants) has recently made some in- 
teresting observations on the wild or solitary 
bee, apis auruleuta, which is much smaller 
than the ordinary hive bees, and found prin- 
cipally in low or moist meadows. M. 
Huber having noticed one of these little 
animals carrying a slip of straw which ap- 
peared too heavy for it, had the curiosity to 
watch its progress, till it deposited its load 
on a small heap of similar materials. Some 
others followed, laden with grains of black 
sand, and others succeeded, bringing por- 
tions of the flowers and leaves of the poten- 
tial rampante. Mr. Huber discovered the 
nest of one of these little animals to be a 
snail-shell, the aperture of which was care- 
fully concealed by layers of straw, leaves, 
and cement. In the interior of this was 
found a series of partitions, built with mud 
and small particles of stone, one behind the 
other. In some of these chambers a green 
substance was observed, which, probably, 
formed the recent food of the little inhabi- 
tant; in a farther compartment was found a 
portion of honey, and at the remote end of 
the shell two eggs. M. Huber intends 
publishing an. account of his researches on 
these interesting and industrious little ani- 
mals. 
Capillary Steam-engine.—The new steam- 
engine, invented by an American mechanic, 
with a capillary tube instead of the ordinary 
boiler, is described in the American journals 
as infinitely more economical in its use than 
any other high-pressure engine. ~The gene- 
rator of the steam consists of about 100 feet _ 
of copper tube, one-fourth of an inch dia- 
meter, arranged in coils like a cable tier, so 
as to form a sort of hollow cone about thirty 
inches high, the bottom being about 
twenty inches, and the top one-half that 
diameter; the pipe being placed in a brick 
furnace. The water enters at the top of 
the capillary pipe, and in passing down its 
coils becomes converted into steam, and 
escapes into a steam chamber connected 
with the bottom. From the labour per- 
formed by this engine during several weeks’ 
trial, the elasticity of the steam was esti- 
mated at about 90 to 100 Ibs. on the square 
inch. But from the very small risk of ex- 
plosion, or rather bursting (for the aperture 
of the pipe being so small, an explosion can 
scarcely occur), the inventor calculates that 
the steam might be used with perfect safety 
at double that degree of pressure. It is 
calewlated also, that greater economy in 
point of fuel will be obtained by having a 
longer range of capillary tubes, so as to 
enable the bottom to be heated almost red 
hot, if requisite, whilst the upper coils of 
the 
