Intelligence and Miscellaiieous Articles. 157 



" If this substance be considered as sufficiently distinct, which, 

 from its characters, I think I am warranted to conclude, I shall 

 propose to give it the name of Donium, being a convenient contrac- 

 tion of Aberdonia, the Latin name of Aberdeen, near which place 

 Davidsonite occurs; for the suggestion of which name I am in- 

 debted to Dr. Thomson. 



<' The change of colour which the precipitates of this substance 

 undergo, during the process of washing, appears to be owing to 

 different degrees of oxidation ; and with a view to determine, if 

 possible, the characters of the metal itself, as well as its degrees of 

 oxidation, the following experiments were made : 



" A. Over a portion of the white oxide strongly heated to red- 

 ness, in a green glass tube, a current of dry hydrogen gas was 

 passed, for nearly an hour. The whole was converted into a slate- 

 blue mass, while aqueous vapour was evolved at the end of the 

 tube : 100 parts of the white powder, by this means, lost 16'34; of 

 their weight. 



" B. A portion of the buff oxide was treated in the same way, 

 and the same slate-blue powder was obtained, with the evolution of 

 aqueous vapour: 100 parts of this oxide lost, by this process, 511 

 of their weight. 



" The substance possessing the slate-blue colour exhibited the fol- 

 lowing characters : 



" 1. When pounded in dry agate mortar, it appeared to assume 

 a lustre, resembling the metallic. 



"2. When heated to redness, it glowed like tinder, and became 

 white. 



" 3. In dilute muriatic acid, it effervesced, and was converted 

 into white powder. 



"i. When placed in a charcoal crucible, properly inclosed, and 

 heated strongly in a forge for half an hour, it was not altered. 



" It seems probable, that the slate-blue substance consisted of 

 metallic donium, but in a state of intimate division; while from the 

 experiments made upon the oxides, upon which, however, for many 

 reasons, great confidence cannot be placed, it would appear that 

 the oxides are composed of 



1. The Buff , . 94.-89 Donium -f- 5-11 oxygen. 



2. The White . 83-66 Donium -j- J6-34. oxygen. 



Or, that the white oxide contains thrice as much oxygen as the 

 buff. 



" Although circumstances do not permit of my continuing this 

 investigation, I have reason to believe that it will not be laid aside, 

 but that a more full account of this substance will shortly be given 

 by an individual much more capable of performing the task." — 

 Records of Science, June, 1836. 



GEOLOGY OF MANCHESTER. 

 Professor Phillips, in a recent examination of this neighbourhood 

 with reference to the question of the geological age of the lime- 

 stones and shelly marls, which has lately attracted much attention, 



