302 [Dec. 11, 



December 11, 1862. 

 Major-General SABINE, President, in the Chair. 



The President announced that he had appointed the following 

 Members of the Council to be Vice- Presidents : 



The Treasurer. 



Dr. Carpenter. 



Sir Philip de M. Grey Egerton, Bart. 



Professor Wheatstone. 



The Rev. Professor Willis. 



Dr. Rolleston and Mr. Henry Bristow were admitted into the 

 Society. 



The following communications were read : 



1. " Observations on several Mineral Substances, including their 



Analysis, &c." By Dr. T. L. PHIPSON, F.C.S. Commu- 

 nicated by Dr. STENHOUSE. Received November 3, 1862. 

 (Abstract.) 



In this paper the author gives an account of a series of mineral 

 substances more or less recently discovered, and several of which have 

 been lately imported into England to be utilized in various arts and 

 manufactures. Fourteen of these substances have been submitted to 

 careful analysis by the author, and their chemical composition and 

 properties determined. The minerals described include 



1. Sombrerite, a phosphate of alumina and lime from the Antilles. 



2. A fossil phosphate from the Isle of "Wight, a most perfect 

 description of wood fossilized by apatite and fluorine. 3. A phos- 

 phate from the West Indies, derived from the decomposition of guano. 

 4. Bicarbonate of ammonia from the Chinca Isles, off the coast of 

 Peru, for specimens of which the author is indebted to Capt. Marcus 

 Lowther, R.N., and which appears never to have been completely 

 analysed before. 5. Tinkalzite, a hydrous borate of lime and soda 

 from Peru, already utilized in the arts as a substitute for borax. 

 6. Stibiconise, from Borneo, a hydrated antimonious acid, which 





