290 Royal Society : — 



manner. Beilstein was able to recognize the presence of chlo- 

 ride of ethyle, and of oxychloride of phosphorus, but no trace of 

 chloride of ethylidene. On mixing the product of the action 

 with waterj a dense oily liquid separated, which, when purified 

 and analysed, gave numbers agreeing best with the formula 

 C® H^ CF. If this be its real formula, the reaction is probably 

 thus : — 



C12H14 04 + 2PCP = C8H9C13 + CnPCl + 2P02CR 



Acetal. Pentachloride New body. Chloride Oxychloride 

 of phosphorus. of ethyle. of phosphorus. 



By taking 1 equiv. of pentachloride to 1 equiv. of acetal, the 

 action is very violent, and requires to be greatly moderated. 

 The crude product, cooled down, is carefully decomposed by the 

 addition of ice ; a small quantity of a liquid is obtained which 

 appears to be the intermediate chloride of Wurtz and Frapolli, 

 C^ tP 0^ CI, in which case the action would be in accordance 

 with the equation 



Ci2Hi''02 + PCP=C''H5Cl + C8H9 02Cl + P02CP. 



Acetal. Intermediate 



chloride. 

 The chloride C^ 11^ CF formed in the previous experiment 

 would then owe its origin to the action of the second atom of 

 pentachloride on the chloride, C^H^O^Cl; thus — 



C8 H9 0^ CI + PCF= C« H9 CP + PO'^ CP. 

 If these reactions be correct, the constitution of acetal might be 

 thus written : — 



rs TT9 mi 

 C12HM04 = ^ ij^u^ I 02. 



in which view it would be an alcohol in which 1 equiv. of hy- 

 drogen is replaced by the radical C^ H^ 0^. This radical forms 

 a chloride, C« H^ 0^ CI, and a terchloride, C^ H^ CP ; but its sta- 

 bility is not great, and it readily decomposes into ethyle and 

 aldehyde. 



XLVII. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



[Continued from p. 22/.] 



May 26, 1859. — Sir Benjamin C. Brodie, Bart., Pres., in the Chair. 



THE following communications were read : — 

 "On the Occurrence of Flint-implements, associated with the 

 Remains of Extinct Mammalia, in Undisturbed Beds of a late Geo- 

 logical Period." By Joseph Prestwich, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S. &c. 



The author commences by noticing how comparatively rare are 

 the cases even of the alleged discovery of the remains of man or of 

 his works in the various superficial drifts, notwithstanding the ex- 



