88 Society of Arts and Sciences at Utrecht. 
whence I concluded, that the method I emploved was the 
only one for separating these two ethers. 
I afterwards submitted the acetic ethers to the following 
examination ; 
1. Both of them have an agreeable smell. 
2. Their specific weight does.not differ more ‘than four or 
five degrees. 
ss They boil at almost equal temperatures 3 ; the former at 
50° of Reaumur, (122° of Fahr.), the latter at 46° (114°& 
Fahr.). 
4, Exposed to, the air they slowly evaporate. 
5, Both of them are equally soluble in eight, parts and a 
half of water. 
6. The sulphuric acid has but very little action upon 
these ethers: it colours them slightly: one part of ether 
and one part of acid mixed very exactly, disengage some 
heat, about 30° (86° Fahr.). 
7. Nitric acid, at 46 degrees, is strongly decomposed by | 
these ethers: there 1s a ‘considerable liberation of nitrons 
gas: the residue is oxalic acid. 
It results from these different facts, that these two ethers 
are nearly the same; that they only differ im some slender 
shades, which do hue change their intimate nature. 
Thus the process npoposed by M. Parmentier is preferable 
to that of M. Pefletier, in so far as it is less expensive, 
shorter, and the product more abundant. But, in giving 
the preference to this last process, I ami far from subscribing 
to the assertion of M. Gehlen, who admits the necessity of" 
a mineral acid for the formation of acetic ether. 
, 
XVII. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
SOCIETY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AT UTRECHT. 
Tus society has offered a gold medal, or thirty ducats in 
money, for the best answer to the following question: 
1. * As the two hemispheres of our earth, the north and 
south, are in some measure different from each other in 
shape 
