338 OUTLINES OF PERIODICAL LITERATURE. 



under the sections intituled Proceedings of Learned Societies, and Miscella- 

 nies, the list of biographical, astronomical, geological, chemical, and physio- 

 logical, presents high claims to attention. 



April comes in with Dr. Andrews' account of his experiments on the 

 action of nitric acid upon bismuth and other metals ; and, for the second arti- 

 cle, we have further experiments of Prof. Schoenbein on the current excited 

 by chemical tendencies, independent of ordinary chemical action. Four 

 chemical communications follow — Mr. Powell's notes on repulsion by heat : 

 Mr. Giraud's observations on the nature and properties of teredide of chro- 

 mium ; Prof. De Morgan on the relation between the number of faces, edges 

 and corners in a solid polyhedron : and Prof. Johnston on the received equi- 

 valents of potash, soda, and silver. B. D. then offers a curious exposition of 

 the path of the projectile weapon of the natives of Australia, called the 

 boomarang, or kylee, at present a very general source of exercise and amuse- 

 ment. Six papers, mathematical and chemical, occupy as many places in 

 succession : thus, Mr. Smith's method of finding the equation to FresnelFs 

 wave-surface : Mr. Taylor's description of two calculi composed of cystic 

 oxide : Prof. Johnston's description and analysis of hatchetine : Messrs. 

 Pelouse and Richardson's resarches upon the products of the decomposition 

 of cyanogen in water : notes of Prof. Sylvester's to his analytical develop- 

 ment of the optical theory of crystals : and Mr. Jerrard's interpretation of 

 the occurrence of the form g in passing from general to particular values of 

 certain algebraic functions. Among the Proceedings of Learned Societies, 

 and with justly-merited distinction — are, a view of M. Becquerel's electrical 

 researches, a view of Mr. Whewell's researches on the tides, a paper by Sir 

 D. Brewster on the colours of mixed plates, another by Mr. Ivory on the 

 attractions of homogeneous ellipsoids, the eleventh series of Dr. Faraday's 

 researches in electricity, Mr. Wharton's explanation of the phsenomena of 

 intermitting springs, Prof. Daniell's letter on voltaic combinations with 

 reference to the mutual relations of generating and conducting surfaces, 

 Prof. Powell's researches towards establishing a theory of the dispersion of 

 light, and Sir W. R. Hamilton's address at the Royal Irish Academy — an 

 address remarkably distinguished by pure learning, sound judgment, and 

 exquisite taste. Mr. Scoresby's improvements in magnetical apparatus, and 

 Messrs. Dumas and Liebig's analyses of the citric, tartaric, and organic acids, 

 have a place as miscellaneous articles. 



May gives us several chemical articles to begin with — remarks on a sin- 

 gular case of the equilibrium of incompressible fluids, by Mr. Pratt : Prof. 

 Johnston on the dimorphism of the chromate of lead, and on the composition 

 of ozocerite : sequel to an essay on the composition of the atmosphere, by 

 Dr. Dalton, who concludes that the proportion of oxygen to azote in the 

 atmosphere on the surface of the earth is not precisely the same at all places 

 and times ; and that, in elevated regions, the proportion of oxygen to azote 

 is somewhat less than at the surface of the earth. Mr. Brooke's note on the 

 apparent cause of isomorphous substitution : and Mr. Phillips' observations 

 on isomorphism in reference to Mr. Brooke's communication. Mr. Brooke's 

 observations on urinary calculi, with a descriptive account of the collection 

 in the museum of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, make important addition to 

 pathological chemistry : they include a table exhibiting the relative fre- 

 quency of each species together with the order of succession of the layers in 



