Scientific IntelUgence. — Natural History. 1C5 



fossil wood, discovered near Urnach^ in the canton of St. Gall ; and 

 being given to M. Macaire Prinsep, he has examined and published 

 an account of it. It occurs in small white, or yellowish wliite aclc- 

 lilar crystals, between the fibres of the fossil wood, or else in trans- 

 lucent layers, having a nacreous lustre, no taste or smell, and a spe- 

 cific gravity o? about 0.65.* 



Heated, it fuses, and remains liquid when cooled, until touched, 

 when it suddenly crystallizes. It melts at 1 12^ F., distils at 194° F. 

 and condenses unaltered. It sinks in alcohol at 40^, (s. g. .867 ?) 

 dissolving only slowly, unless heat be applied. It dissolves in ether 

 and oil of turpentine, not in water or alkaline solutions. It differs 

 J from naplithaline in being more fusible, more volatile ; in the fonu 



t of its distilled product, which, with naphthaline, is frequently that of 



rhomboidal plates ; in its inferior solubility in alcohol, and also as i| 

 appears in composition. 



M. Macaire Prinsep analyzed both naphthaline and the substance, 

 by the use of peroxide of copper ; but appears to have doubts, not 

 of the principle of the process, but of his results. However, he 

 makes out naphtlialine to consist nearly of 86 carbon, and 13.8 hy- 

 drogen J this is almost equal to single proportionals of each, or 6, 

 and 1 by weight, which is the composition of olefiant gas ; but both 

 Ure and Thomson make out far less of hydrogen. 



The new fossil is, according io M. Macaire Prinsep, composed of 

 ' 73 carbon, and 24 hydrogen, or nearly of one proportional of car- 

 toon to two of hydrogen ; 6 :2 by weight. This is the same compo- 

 sition as the light hydro-carbon. (Bull. Univ. xl. 68.) 



If the latter estimate be at all near the truth, then it would be ex- 

 ceedingly interesting to know the specific gravity of its vapor, for 

 comparison with light hydro-carbon ; and also the kind of flame 

 ^hich is produced when the vapor of the substance is burnt from a 

 jet. No indication of the appearance of the flame, whether pale, 

 bright, or smoky, is given. — Ed. Quar. Journal, No. x. 431. 



4. Means emj)loyed by the slider in weaving its t^^J.— We find, 

 in the introduction to Entomology by Kirby and Spence, a very cu- 

 rious description of the means employed by spiders in warping their 

 webs. The autlior, after having described the four little spiders, as 



There must be some mistake here, for afterwaid.- it is said io sink in alcohol. 



