172 



NA TURE 



[February 15, 1894 



purification by solution in ether and evaporation of the latter it 

 takes the form of a colourless viscous substance, which soon 

 solidifies to a mass of crystals, colourless at first but subse- 

 quently faintly yellow. The crystals melt at 264°, evolving the 

 characteristic odour in a still more pungent form. Even the 

 merest trace of the compound is at once rendered evident in a 

 room by its unmistakable effect upon the olfactory nerves. A 

 smal! quantity introduced into a non-luminous flame imparts a 

 brilliant green colour to the latter. It appears to act as a truly 

 acid substance, dissolving readily in alkalies ; the salts pro- 

 duced, however, are not endowed with any great stability, for 

 the acid can be extracted from the solutions by means of orga nic 

 solvents. 



In an appendix to Prof. Victor Meyer's memoir, referred 

 to last week (p. 349), a recent extension of the subject 

 of stereochemistry to purely inorganic elements is alluded 

 to. Dr. Werner, in a treatise upon the nature of the 

 isomerism of the numerous ammoniacal compounds of 

 cobalt, platinum, and other metals, shows that the complex 

 relations of these substances are capable of a surprisingly simple 

 explanation upon the assumption of different arrangements of 

 the various atoms and groups in space. The foundations of a 

 stereochemistry of platinum are laid by assuming the atom of 

 the metal to occupy the centre of a regular octahedron, to the 

 six corners of which the various groups are attached. In this 

 manner the existence of the two isomeric series of complex com - 

 pounds of the composition Pt(N 1^3)0X4 is accounted for, the 

 diff"erence between them being brought about by a difference in the 

 relative positions of the two NH3 groups. It would thus appear 

 that the great concentration of research upon the organic com- 

 pounds, which has been the salient feature of the chemical pro- 

 gress of the last twenty years, has had the fortunate effect of so 

 enlightening us as to the internal structure of chemical molecules 

 as typified in carbon compounds, that the remaining >_complex 

 problems of inorganic chemistry may njw be attacked with much 

 greater likelihood of success. 



Notes from the Marine Biological Station, Plymouth. — 

 During the past fjrtnight the floating fauna has assumed a 

 considerably richer character, chiefly owing to the marked in- 

 crease in the numbers of Decapod larvae (esp. ZolCx), and to 

 the reappearance of Coelenterates, which have been very scarce 

 for the past two months. Ephynz of Aurelia have appeared , 

 and are already fairly numerous ; a few specimens of the 

 Anthomedusa Rathkea octopuw.tata have been observed, and a 

 Leptomedusa, apparently Phialidiiim varlabilc, has been taken 

 in fair quantity. Some Ctenophore larvae have also been 

 observed. Prosobranch and Opisthobranch veligers are plenti- 

 ful, and a single specimen has been obtained of the pelagic 

 postlarval stage oi Arenicola, discovered at Plymouth last year. 

 Other captures on the shore and with the dredge include ^olis 

 papulosa, Plaiydoris plaiiata, and large numbers of Myzosiomum 

 from Antcdoii rosacea. Littorina littorea is breeding. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include two Bonnet Monkeys {Macactis sinicus, 

 9 9) from India, presented respectively by Col. J. North, and 

 Mrs. Hewit ; a Macaque Monkey {Macacus cynoviolgns, 9 ) 

 from India, presented by Mr. F. Reynolds ; a Pinche Monkey 

 {Midas adipus) from New Granada, presented by Miss Farmer ; 

 a Banded Ichneumon (Herpestes fasciattis), two Vulturine 

 Guinea Fowls {Ntunida vultti7-ind), four Red-bellied Waxbills 

 {Estrelda rubriventris), two Madagascar Weaver Birds {Foiidia 

 madagascariensis), two Alario Sparrows {Passer alario) from 

 East Africa, presented by Mr. Besant ; a Red-eared Bulbul 

 {Pycnonotiis jocosus), a yellow-bellied Liothrix {Liothrix luteiis), 

 three Indian Silver-bills {A/unia tnalabarica) from India, a 

 Chestnut-breasted Finch {Donacola castaneothorax) from 



NO. 1268, VOL. 49] 



Queensland, two Java Sparrows {Padda oryzivora) from Java, 

 two Russ Weaver Birds {Qiielea russi), a Crimson-crowned 

 Weaver Bird {Euplectes flammiceps) from West Africa, two 

 Saffron Finches {Sycalis plaveohis) from Brazil, presented 

 by Mr. C. S. Simpson ; a ChafBnch {Fringilla coelebs), a 

 Brambling {Fringilla montifringilla), a Greenfinch {Ligurinus 

 chloris), a Linnet {Linota cannabina), three Lesser Redpolls 

 {Linota riiftscens) British, presented by Mr. L. V. Dance ; a 

 Moustache Monkey {Cercopiihecus cephus, 9 )from West Africa^ 

 a Green-winged Trumpeter {Psophia viridis) from the Amazons, 

 deposited. • 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



A Tempered Steel Meteorite. — Among the many ob- 

 jects collected by the Peary Expedition to Greenland in 1891 

 was a meteorite weighing about 267 pounds. It was found by 

 Prof A. Heilprin, near Godhaven, Disco Island, and sent to 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, in the Pro- 

 ceedings of which (1893, p. 373) it is described by Mr. E. 

 Goldsmith. When received at the Academy, the meteorite ap- 

 peared to be solid and devoid of cracks or any signs of disinte- 

 gration, but this condition soon changed, and the mass slowly 

 cracked and began to fall to pieces. It is thought that this 

 crumbling was due to oxidation resulting from the existence of 

 a higher temperature and a greater quantity of ozone in the 

 latitude of Philadelphia than in that of Greenland. Mr. Gold- 

 smith has examined some of the pieces separated from the 

 mass. The substance could easily be separated into hard, 

 metallic and tough granules, and a powder capable of reduction 

 to any degree ol fineness. A determination of the separated 

 quantities gave 73 8 per cent, as the proportion of the granules, 

 and 26'2 per cent, as that of the powder. The specific gravity 

 of the former proved to be 6'I4, and of the latter 473. One of 

 the pieces from the meteorite was reserved for grinding and 

 etching, but it was found that the process involved con- 

 siderable difficulty owing to the extreme hardness of the 

 specimen. Indeed, the mass was so hard that it would scratch 

 soft iron, making an impression visible to the eye and sensible 

 to the touch. This and other tests seems to warrant Mr. 

 Goldsmith calling the object a tempered steel meteorite. 

 Possibly the meteorite fell into a pool of water or deposit of 

 snow or ice, and was thus quickly cooled down from the heated 

 condition obtained by rushmg through the atmosphere. 



Analyses show that there is a distinct difference between the 

 granules and the separated dark powder. The former contains 

 a sulphuret, probably troilite ; the latter contains no sulphuret, 

 but, instead, a sulphate. Iron, nickel, sulphur, traces of 

 carbon, chlorine, phosphorus, and chromium were found ; also 

 a silicate in which lime and magnesia were recognised. Copper 

 and cobalt were searched for, but in vain. * According to Prof. 

 A. E. Nordenskiold and J. L. Smith, the Disco Island ter- 

 restrial iron contains copper, cobalt, phosphorus, and compara- 

 tively large quantities of carbon. As Mr. Goldsmith remarks, 

 these differences are too great to be overlooked in comparing 

 analytical work ; they indicate that the mass found by Prof. 

 Heilprin is not of terrestrial, but of celestial, origin. 



Astronomy in Poetry. — Some litterateurs and ultra- 

 sentimental poets affect to believe with Macaulay that the 

 advance of science means the death of poetry. It was left to 

 Lord Tennyson to show that scientific facts admit of the highest 

 poetical expression. Another instance of the exactness of his 

 references to astronomical matters is given in the February 

 number of the 0/^^£?/'i'a/^;,)'. In "Maud" the beautiful lines 

 occur — 



" a time of year 

 When the face of night is fair on the dewy downs, 

 And the shining daffodil dies, and the Charioteer 

 And starry Gemini hang like glorious crowns 

 Over Orion's grave low down in the west." 



A little further reference is made to the planet Mars, "As he 

 glow'd like a ruddy shield on the Lion's breast." The whole 

 passage refers to the Crimean War, which was from 1854 to 

 1856, and, from the first quotation, it is evident that Tennyson 

 had in mind the months of April and May. It was interesting, 

 therefore, to see whether Mars occupied in the fifties the posi- 

 tion named by the poet. Upon looking up the matter it appears 

 that the planet was in Leo in June 1S52, November 1853^ 



