\ 



1862.] 129 



Boric methide in combination with the alkalies and alkaline earths 

 has almost entirely lost its powerful affinity for oxygen; nevertheless, 

 when these bodies are placed in contact with a known quantity of 

 oxygen over mercury for several days, the volume of the gas per- 

 ceptibly diminishes. 



The great difficulty, not to say danger, attending the gradual oxi- 

 dation of considerable quantities of a gaseous and spontaneously in- 

 flammable body like boric methide has prevented the author from 

 following this compound into its products of oxidation, as was done 

 in the case of boric ethide. With a graduated supply of oxygen, 

 however, boric methide appears to comport itself like boric ethide, 

 and the compounds formed are probably homologous with diethylate 

 and dihydrate of boric dioxy ethide. 



In conclusion, it can scarcely be doubted that the action upon 

 boracie ether of the zinc compounds of the remaining alcohol radicals 

 would produce the homologues of the bodies described in the fore- 

 going pages. It may also be remarked that the existence of bodies 

 like boric dioxyethide, in which one-third of the oxygen in boracie 

 anhydride is replaced by ethyl, altogether abolishes any supposed 

 analogy between carbonic and boracie acids, whilst it proves that 

 the composition of the latter acid is expressed by the formula BO 3 , 

 or some multiple of that formula. 



V. " On the Constitution of Sea- Water, at different Depths, and 

 in different Latitudes." By GEORGE FoncHHAMMER_,Ph.D., 

 Professor of Mineralogy in the University of Copenhagen. 

 Communicated by the President. 



Professor Forchhammer was present at the Meeting, and, by request 

 of the President, gave a statement of the principal results of his re- 

 searches. He first, however, took occasion to express his great 

 satisfaction in being allowed the opportunity of personally and grate- 

 fully acknowledging the liberality with which men of science in this 

 country had entered into his views and supplied him with specimens 

 requisite for carrying on his inquiries ; and he particularly mentioned 

 the name of a late distinguished Fellow of this Society, Sir James 

 Clark Ross, who had kindly furnished various samples of sea-water 

 procured in his Antarctic voyage. 



VOL. XII. K 



