378 Scientific Intelligence. 



pressly with the greatest care. I immediately communicated the circum- 

 stance to him, and he wrote me in answer, that, in consequence of my in- 

 formation, he had examined the star, and found it as I described, but 

 reckoned it at that time among the most difficult. I brought the same 

 telescope to England, and used it afterwards in Somersetshire for several 

 years, but could never again see the same star distinctly double, which I 

 attributed to change of climate. The star is now much more easily seen. 

 Our transit telescope separates it with ease. I recollect, at Lisbon, that 

 it was only on very favourable nights that I could see it double." Quart. 

 Journ. No. xl. p. 419. 



OPTICS. 



7. Luminous Phenomenon observed between Paisley and Glasgow. On the 

 morning of the 14th instant, about 6 h 37'. I was gratified by the sight of a lu- 

 minous globe or bolide, while going from Paisley to Glasgow. It was tran- 

 quilly stationary as if equipoised, and of a similar specific gravity with the 

 plane it seemed to float upon. Its form was somewhat elliptical and translu- 

 cent in consistency, faintly luminous. After a short while it discharged 

 sparks, and this discharge was subsequently repeated, and by the impulse 

 springing from the re-action of the atmosphere, the bolide moved from north 

 to south, maintaining the horizontal plane, not in any section of the arc of a 

 parabola. The star-like sparks were bright and silvery, and void of any 

 chromatic tint. The meteor was interesting and beautiful, and altogether 

 expressive of having its dependence on an electro-magnetic princi- 

 ple. The night had been wet and tempestuous, and the entire day disco- 

 vered a horizontal parallelism of the clouds in the distant sky ; the clouds 

 were chiefly cumulosirati. At 4 h 50' a. M. before leaving Paisley, ther- 

 mometer 43° 5' Fahr. and the hygrometer of de Saussure, 94°. — J. Murray. 



II. CHEMISTRY. 



8. On the Sidpho-Napthalic Acid newly discovered by Mr Faraday. This 

 name has been given by Mr Faraday to a new acid which he discovered 

 by subjecting napthaline to the action of sulphuric acid. It is a solid cry- 

 stalline substance, deliquescing in the cold air, fusing at 212°, and char- 

 ring and burning with much intense flame by a higher heat. The salts 

 which it forms with bases are all soluble in water, and in alcohol. By 

 Mr Faraday's analysis, the elements of the salt approximate closely to 



1 Proportional of Barytes, . • 7-80 



2 Ditto of Sulphuric Acid, . . 8.00 

 20 Ditto of Carbort, . • • 120 



8 Ditto of Hydrogen, . . .8 



Abstracting the barytes, the remaining elements indicate the composi- 

 tion of the pure acid, which thus appears to contain above three-fifths of 

 hydro-carbon. Ann- of Phil. Ixiii. 228. 



III. NATURAL HISTORY. 

 ZOOLOGY. 



9. Fossil bones near MontpelUer. — M. Marcel de Serres has announced 

 to the Royal Academy of Sciences, the discovery of large quantities of fos- 



