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Proceedings of the Algerian, Philosophical Society. 29 
Lately he had resorted with success to a much Simpler process, by 
which the evolution of silicon or boron might be made easy to any person 
possessing a sufficiently large mercurial reservoir. 
A bell glass, over mercury, was filled with fluo-silicic acid, and by 
means of a bent wire, a cage of wire gauze, containing a suitable quan- 
tity of potassium, was introduced through the mercury into the cavity of 
the bell, and supported in a position nearly in the centre of it. A knob 
of iron was made at the end of the rod, so recurved as to reach the cage 
with ease. The knob, having been heated nearly white hot, was passed 
through the mercury so as to touch the cage, and cause the combustion 
of the potassium and evolution of the silicon. Of this, much remains 
attached to the cage, in combination with the fluoride of potassium, from 
which the silicon may be separated by washing in cold water and diges- 
tion in nitric acid. shee | 
Mr. S. C. Walker communicated an extract from a letter received from 
Mr. Edmund Blunt, detailing his observations of the Solar Eclipses of 
May 14th, 1836, and September 18th, 1838. 
These were made at his private observatory, Brooklyn, New York. 
Latitude 40° 42’ 0”, Longitude 4h. 56m. Os. nearly, west of Greenwich, 
being 4.36s. east of the City Hall, New York. They are given in mean 
time of the place of observation. 
ms. m. 5.26 Bash 
Begin. Solar Eclipse, May 14th, 1836, 19 10 1.30 E. Blunt. 
End 6 “ : 2 20. “ hs 
40 31 i 
Begin.“  _ Sept. 18th, 1888, - 3 * ee 
Formation of Ming, =... & 36 47.30 oa - 
End of Eclipse & 548 2368-5" 
66 te ee 648-9768 Fok Page. 
Mr. Blunt used a five feet Dollond’s achromatic belonging to the Coast 
Survey. Mr. PaBe saw the end of the eclipse of 1836 with another tele- 
Scope, within half a second of the time stated by Mr. Blunt. In the 
eclipse of 1838, the time noted for the formation of the ring was when 
the cusps were separated only by a few dark intervening spaces. Of 
these Mr. Blunt counted six in number. The instant of rupture of the 
Mr. Blunt thinks that the luminous points connect- 
nued twelve or fifteen seconds. Mr. Blunt did not 
scribed by Francis Baily, Esq. though favorably cir- 
an observation. Mr. Walker had found for the lon- 
lunt’s observatory, from the beginning of the eclipse of 
eA ic 55m. 52.95s. and 4h. 56m. 2.07s. from the end :—Mean result, 
= vols. Mr. EO. Kendall had found from the eclipes of 1838, 
h. 56m. 1.16s. The mean, by the two eclipses, was 
* Som. 59.34s,; which makes the longitude of the City Hall, New 
