716 



According to its formation, the glycolide cannot contain any peroxide 

 of hydrogen, and consequently it appears that also gly colic acid can- 

 not be considered as acetic acid wherein one atom of hydrogen has 

 been replaced by peroxide of hydrogen. 



I beg to conclude with an empirical derivation of several of the 

 compounds mentioned from hydruret of ethyl. 



C 2 H 2 H 2 H 2 = Hydruret of ethyl. 



C 2 H 2 H 2 O = Aldehyde. 



C 2 H 2 O O = Glyoxal and glycolide. 



C 2 O O O = Anhydrous oxalic acid. 



C 2 H 2 H 2 H 2 +O = Alcohol. 



C 2 H 2 H 2 O + O = Acetic acid. 



C 2 H 2 O O + O = Glyoxylic acid. 



C 2 O O O +O = Carbonic acid. 



C 2 H 2 H 2 H 2 + H 2 0=C 2 H 8 0. 



C 2 H 2 H 2 O + H 2 O=Glycol. 



C 2 H 2 O O +H 2 O=Glycolic acid. 



C 2 O O + H 2 0=0xalicacid. 



April 7, 1859. 

 Sir BENJAMIN C. BRODIE, Bart., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : 



I. " On Colour-Blindness/' By WILLIAM POLE, Esq. Com- 

 municated by Professor STOKES, Sec.R.S. Received March 

 24, 1859. 



This paper consists principally of a revised and condensed version 

 of a former one by the same author, which was read to the Society 

 on the 19th of June, 1856, and of which an abstract is given in 

 the 'Proceedings' under that date (vol. viii. p. 172). In the pre- 

 sent communication there is added an account of numerous experi- 

 ments subsequently made by the author with Professor Maxwell's 

 Colour- top. 



