Intelligence and Miscellaneous A Hides. 3 1 9 



The surface of the liquid metal, within a circle of half an inch to an 

 inch in diameter, retains its brilliancy. The minute particles of 

 amalgam, which I suppose to be the cause of the tarnish, seem to be 

 repelled by the large globule of potassium, and occasionally, as new 

 accessions are made to them, they become singularly agitated, ex- 

 hibiting somewhat of the appearance observed when a drop of vinegar, 

 or of an acid, comes in contact with a drop of water. 



8. Small pieces of sodium projected upon a bath of mercury were 

 not found to exhibit the phaenomena indicated by Serullas; that is, 

 they were not thrown off with explosions accompanied with light and 

 caloric. The effects are, however, curious. The amalgamation of 

 the sodium takes place slowly, without any rotary motion; although 

 sometimes when breathed upon, a motion of short duration is in- 

 duced. When several pieces are put upon the bath at the same time, 

 they show no disposition to come together, but rather the contrary. 

 But when one piece is pushed towards another, there appears to be, 

 within a certain distance, an attractive force exerted, which is im- 

 mediately succeeded by a repulsive one of some comparative energy. 

 Many pieces being accumulated in a small space, they become vio- 

 lently agitated, as if alternately attracting and repelling each other, 

 until they finally separate. — Silliman's Journal, October 1833. 



PLATINA IN GALENA. 



M. Noel d'Argy has discovered galena from two different places con- 

 taining platina, and his experiments were confirmed by M. Gaultier 

 de Claubry. The state in which it exists has not been determined, nor 

 are the localities of the mineral mentioned. 



BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. 



We are requested by the Council to announce that the next Meet- 

 ing of the British Association for the Advancement of Science will 

 be held at Edinburgh in the week commencing Monday, September 

 8th, 183*. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. 



Researches in Theoretical Geology. By H. T. De la Beche, 

 F.R.S., (i'c. Foolscap 8vo. Plates and Wood-cuts. 



On the Connexion of the Sciences. By Mrs. Somerville. 



Illustrations of the Botany and other Branches of the Natural 

 History of the Himalayan Mountains, and of the Flora of Cashmere. 

 By J. Forbes Royle, Esq, F.L.S.and G.S. 



A Descriptive Catalogue of rare and unedited Roman Coins, from 

 the earliest period of the Roman Coinage, to the extinction of the 

 Empire under Constantinus Paleologus. By J. Y. Akerman, F.S.A. 



An Elementary Course of Lectures on the Criticism, Interpreta- 

 tion, and leading Doctrines of the Bible, delivered at Bristol Col- 

 lege : with an Essay on the general Grammatical Principles of the 

 Semitic Languages. By W. D. Conybeare, M.A., Rector of Sully. 



