118 Scientific Intelligence. 
A vegetable wax is obtained in China froma Rhus (R. succedaneum,) 
which requires a temperature of 180° F. for fusion. It is but slightly 
soluble in boiling alcohol or ether, but completely so in naphtha. With 
a lye of potash it forms a soluble soap ; it also combines with baryta. 
The Palm wax from New Grenada is obtained from the Ceroxylon 
andicola. ‘The scrapings from the exterior of the tree are boiled by 
the Indians, and the wax swims on the surface of the water. After 
being purified, it has a yellowish white color and fuses at 1614° F. ; it is 
but slightly soluble in boiling alcohol. 
Other kindssof wax of vegetable origin are, the wax of the Myrica 
cerifera; of Carnauba, derived from a palm in northern Brazil; of 
Ocuba, from a tree in the provinces of Para and Guyana, and afforded 
by a species of Myristica (either the M. ocoba, officinalis, or sebifera ;) 
of Bicuiba, derived from the Myristica bicuhyba, according to Brone- 
NIART ; of Sugar-cane ; and of Andaquies from the upper regions of 
the Oronoco and Amazon east of the Cordilleras. Of each of these 
varieties, analyses are given by M. B. Lewy. He concludes by express- 
ing his doubts with regard to the experiments of Mine Epwarps and 
Dumas upon the animal origin of beeswax, and sustains the view that 
it is collected by the bees. ; 
31. Organic Compounds, (L’Institut, 1845, xiii, p. 333.)—M. Lav- 
RENT has arrived at the conclusion, after numerous analyses and com- 
parisons, that in all the organic compounds, the sum of the atoms of 
nitrogen and hydrogen (or of the bodies which may replace hydrogen, 
such as the halogen bodies and the metals) is always divisible by four. 
_ 32. Analysis of a Chinese Metallic Mirror, (L’Institut, 1845, p. 
332, from Expwann’s Jour. 1845, No. 8.)—M. Exsner obtained by his 
analysis the following results :— 
I. 
Copper, 80-823 80-850 
. Lead, 9-389 10-038 
Antimony, 8°431—98-643 8:430—99-318 
The mirror was a very perfect one, and was scarcely at all tarnished. 
it afforded a trace of iron but no arsenic. He suggests as probable, 
that in preparing the alloy equal parts of lead and antimony were 
employed, but that a part of the antimony was volatilized during the 
fusion. 
33. Air of Mines, (L’Institut, No. 603, 1845, p. 255.)—M. Le- 
BLANC, on analyzing the air of Poullavuen mine, finds that when most 
ered by respiration and combustion of lamps, there is 3 to 4 per cent. 
thonic acid, and a diminution of 4 to 5 per cent. in the proportion 
“oxygen. The minérs’ lamps are. extinguished ; but by placing the 
es of two lamps in contact, combustion often goes on where one 
