61'6 



pose to examine in a future letter. For the present, permit me to 

 add, that the fact which I have discovered establishes a new con- 

 nexion between electricity, heat, and light: for it has been demon- 

 strated by M. de Senarmont 



a. That any artificial increase of density in a non-crystallized solid 

 body diminishes, in the direction in which it is exerted, the con- 

 ducting power of that body for heat, 



b. That in homogeneous media which are in a state of artificial 

 molecular equilibrium, the conformation of the thermic ellipsoid, 

 either oblate or prolate, is always corresponding to that of the 

 optic one. 



I shall feel much gratified if you deem this communication worthy 

 to be laid before the Royal Society. * * 



I remain, &c., 



ELIE WARTMANN. 



II. " Notice of Researches on a New Class of Organic Bases, 

 conducted by CHARLES S. WOOD, Esq." By A. W. HOF- 

 MANN, LL.D., F.R.S. Received December 21, 1858. 



In his remarkable memoir* on the action of reducing agents on 

 nitro-compounds, in which Zinin first pointed out the formation of 

 organic bases by the substitution of hydrogen for oxygen, some expe- 

 riments are recorded on the deportment of dinitro-naphtalin (nitro- 

 naphtalese) with sulphuretted hydrogen. Zinin states that this pro- 

 cess gives rise to the formation of a basic compound crystallizing in 

 delicate copper-red needles, and yielding with acids white scaly salts. 



In a subsequent paper f Zinin returns to the action of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen or dinitronaphtalin, and gives a fuller account of the pro- 

 ducts obtained in this process. The basic substance arising from 

 dinitronaphtalin crystallizes in colourless needles of great brilliancy, 

 which contain 



C 10 H 5 N,orC 20 H 10 N 2 . 



It is a well-defined basic body, which Zinin describes under the 

 name of seminaphlalidam. From this later communication it would 



* Bulletin Scientifique de St. Petersburg, x. 18. 

 t Journ. fiir Prakt, Chem. Bd. xxxiii. 29. 



