Wavellite. — New Vegetalle Alkali. 67 



state was found in all the extracts. On further investigation, it 

 was ascertained that this acid, besides that portion of it which 

 exists as phosphate of lime, is contained in a vast variety of ve- 

 getai)Ies . . . .AH those which are cultivated seem to contain phos- 

 phoric salt in great abundance." 



WAVELLITE. 



This substance appears, by an analysis made by M. Berzelius, 

 to contain 



Alutnine .. .. .. .. 35*35 



Phosphoric acid .. .. • ., 



Fluoric acid 



Lime . . . . 



Oxides of iron and manganese 

 Water 



99-36 



NEW VEGETABLE ALKALI. 



MM. Pelletier and Caventon have announced the discovery 

 of this alkali in the seeds of the Feratrum SabadiUa. In px- 

 amining among other vegetable substances which have a marked 

 action on the animal system, they found, in the Ciradille, a orys- 

 tallizable alkahne matter extremely acrimonious ; but thev hav^ 

 not yet become perfectly acquainted with its nature. 



RECTIFICATION OF ALCOHOL. 



A correspondent of the Giornule de F'aica reports an eyperi- 

 ment which may be applied with advantage to this purpose. It 

 is a well known fact, tliat water passes with facility through 

 bladder, while alcohol is almost perfectly retained by it. If a 

 bottle of wine be closed bv a piece of bladder, instead of a cork, 

 a portion of the water will be found to !iave evaporated and passed 

 off through the membrane, arid the wine left will be found pro- 

 portionally stronger. If a bladder h:df filled with alcohol of the 

 specific gravity of S67, and having its orifice closed, be exposed 

 to the sun, the air, or the heat of a stove, in a short time the al- 

 cohol will be found rectified to 817 spec. gr. and in this manner 

 all the water may be evaporated. If the same bladder with its 

 contents be then exposed to a humid atmosphere, (as in a da,nip 

 cellar,) it will iml)ibe water, and return to 8()7 spec. grav. which 

 water may again be separated by hanging it in a dry place. In 

 one word, the bladder is a filter, which suffers water to pass through 

 it, but not alccohol. • 



NEW PIGMENTS. 



MM. Colin and Taillefort have observed, that if any of the 

 blue or green carbonates of copper are heated to the temperature 



K 2 of 



