142 Scientific Intelligence. • [Aug, 



fied conglomerate rocks, consisting of a clayey basis, containing 

 minute crystals of felspar and spots of chlorite. On this reposes 

 an extensive limestone formation, the lower part of which, as 

 well as the conglomerate rock, contains a great number of sili- 

 cified fossils of various kinds. These islands, and some others 

 in the vicinity, are conceived to aff«rd evidence of the existence 

 of a recent formation, contemporaneous with, or, perhaps, even 

 later than the Paris basin. 



A paper was also read from Mr. Thomas Webster, " On the 

 Geological Situation of the Reigate Fire-Stone, and of the 

 Fuller's Earth at Nutfield." 



Mr. Webster conceives that the geological position of the 

 Reigate fire-stone had not been hitherto precisely determined by 

 actual observations. From a late examination of the quarries, 

 he considers it as situated immediately below the grey chalk, 

 which is the same bed as the chalk marl ; and from its minera- 

 logical characters, together with the circumstance of its contain- 

 ing layers of chert and of hard limestone or Kentish rag, he 

 concludes that it is identical with the green sandstone of the 

 Isle of Wight, and other places, but containing rather less than 

 the usual proportion of green earth. The fuller's earth at Nutfield 

 is covered by a capping of the green sand formation, and reposes 

 upon the ferruginous sand. 





Article XI. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE, AND NOTICES OF SUBJECTS 

 CONNECTED WITH SCIENCE. 



I. Method of obtaining Nickel in a State of perfect Purity and 

 Malleability. In a Letter to Dr. Thomson from E. D. Clarke, 

 LL.D. Professor of Mineralogy in the University of Cam- 

 bridge, Sec. 



SIR, 



When the late Professor Tennant prepared for the commence- 

 ment of his first course of chemical lectures in this University, 

 he wished to exhibit nickel in a state of perfect purity ; and for 

 this purpose undertook a series of experiments with the nickel of 

 commerce ; all of which failed in aftording the result he sought 

 to obtain. Some of our chemists here were present at those 

 experiments, and one of them mentioning the circumstance to 

 me, I conceived that it might be possible to effect a complete 

 purification of the nickel by means of the gas blow-pipe ; although 

 m my first experiments with this metal, using the same instru- 

 ment, as it was stated in the account I then published,* the 



* See Jnnab of Philosophy for March, 1817, p. 200} also Annals, viii.3«2. 



