the case of dinitronaphthaline. It proves to be perfectly analogous 

 in composition with nitrosophenyline ; in properties also it is similar ; 

 and from its alcoholic solution it may be obtained in crystals, having 

 a lustre somewhat similar to that of murexide : its formula, as 

 deduced from our analysis, is 



C 20 H 8 N 2 2 , 



which we may arrange thus : C 2( , N( j N, and so view it as naphthyl- 



amine in which I equiv. of hydrogen has been replaced by 1 equiv. 

 of binoxide of nitrogen. This substance we term nitrosonaphthy- 

 line. It may likewise be obtained by the action of nitrous acid on 

 naphthylamine, or of nitrite of potassium upon the hydrochlorate of 

 naphthylamine : the following equations represent the three pro- 

 cesses for its formation : 



1. C 20 H 6 2NO 4 +&H=C 20 H 8 N 2 O 2 + 6HO. 



2. C 20 H 9 N + NO 3 = C 20 H 8 N 2 O 2 + HO. 



3. C 20 H 10 N, Cl + KN0 4 =C 20 H 8 N 2 O 2 + 2HO + KC1. 



February 28, 1856. 



' 

 The LORD WROTTESLEY, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : 



I. The following Letter was read, from Professor HANSTEEN of 

 Christiania, For. Mem. R.S. : 



To the Royal Society of London. 



As a Corresponding Member of the Royal Society, I have the 

 honour herewith to transmit a Research " On the Secular Changes of 

 the Magnetical System of the Earth, and more specially on the 

 Secular Variation of the Magnetical Inclination in the Northern 

 Temperate Zone," separately printed from the ' Memoirs of the Roy. 

 Soc. of Sciences of Copenhagen.' By calculating newer and more 

 ancient observations of the magnetical declination, I have ascertained 

 the movement of the four magnetical polar regions, which I had 



