1815.] Linncean Society . 455 



quantity of red oxide of mercury, constituting a certain multiple c^ 

 the red oxide contained in the salt. He found hy trials that it was 

 necessary to mix the salt with five times the quantity of red oxide 

 which it contained, in order to obtain a complete decomposition. 

 The two substances were intimately mixed together by trituration, 

 and then introduced in three separate portions into a glass tube 

 close at one end, about eight inches long, and of the size of a 

 goose-quill. Each portion was separated from the succeeding one, 

 by a small quantity of green glass. Another tube of the same size, 

 open at both ends, and previously filled with mercury, was firmly 

 tied to the retort tube by means of a piece of caoutchouc. Its 

 extremity was then introduced into a glass cylinder filled with mer- 

 cury, and placed as near as possible in a horizontal position on the 

 mercurial trough. The mixture was then successively burnt by 

 means of a spirit lamp, and, when cool, the whole gaseous contents 

 were thrown into the glass jar. The azote evolved was just equal in 

 bulk to the prussic acid decomposed, the carbonic acid formed 

 amounted to twice the bulk of the azote. From these data Mr. 

 Porrett concluded that prussip acid is composed of 



Azote 40-7 



Carbon 24*8 



Hydrogen 34*5 



100-0 



Or of Azote 1 atoms 



Carbon 2 



Hydrogen 8 



11 



Prussiate of mercury is composed of one integrant particle of 

 prussic acid and one integrant particle of red oxide of mercury, 

 Sulphureted chyazic acid is a compound of 1 atom sulphur + 4 

 integrant particles of chyazic acid. Ferrureted chyazic acid is a 

 compound of 4 atoms black oxide of iron + 1 atom prussic acid. 



LiySJEAS SOCIETY. 



On Tuesday, May 2, a paper by George Montague, Esq. on the 

 ardea nigra, or black stork, was read. This bird was shot in Eng- 

 land. 



On Wednesday, the 2-1th of May, the anniversary of the Society, 

 the following office-bearers were elected for tiie ensuing year : — 



PKiiSiDUNT — Sir James Edward Smith, M.D. 



Trkasurer — Thomas Marsham, Esq. 



Sechrtary — Alex. Machay, Esq, 



L'NDiiR Skcretary — Mr. Richard Taylor, 



