282 Scientific Intelligence. 



The anhydrated acid^are W 4 O l4 H 4 ; another -j^2aq. ; another 

 -f-8aq. There is also a number of ammonia and double salts, some of 

 them of great interest, having singular peculiarities in their crystalline 

 forms, 



3d type, Metatungstate. The action of nitric acid, brings the 

 ammonia salt of the last type into this. This salt forms octahe- 

 drons; the acid itself is very soluble. The formula for the type is 

 W O M 



The anhydrid obtained at a dull red heat produces with ammonia a 

 salt of the next type ; the metatungstate of ammonia does the same. 



4th type, Isotungstate. W 2 7 M 2 ; the anhydrid is W 2 6 , and 

 this again is capable with ammonia of reproducing an isotungstate. 



5th type, Polytungstate. About this there is some uncertainty. The 

 acids W 6 21 H 6 and also -f-2aq. have been analyzed. The anhydrid 

 is W 6 18 . There is some probability of the existence of still an- 

 other type. 



These very curious researches are worthy of being followed up, 

 particularly with the ethers which may be formed by their acids, 



G. C. S. 



13. On the Crystallization of Sulphur ; by M. S. Pasteur, also by 

 M. Ch. Deville, (Comptes Rend., Jan., 1848.)— M. Pasteur has found 

 sulphur crystallized from its solution in sulphuret of carbon to present 

 the two different forms — the octahedrons usually formed, and also the 

 form obtained by fusion, an oblique rhombic prism — but in this case 



unmodified. 



M. Deville has noticed that the soft red sulphur may be remelted,and 

 cooled either slowly or rapidly without losing its reddish brown color. 

 The prisms obtained by fusion undergo the same changes as to opacity, 

 increase of density, &c, as usual. Still more singular, the solution of 

 this red sulphur in sulphur.et of carbon, retains the color, and the crys- 

 tals formed are in part octahedral, more or less red, by having the colors 

 unequally distributed in part — red prisms changing as usual — and also a 

 portion of amorphous sulphur deeply colored and remaining viscous 

 for a long time. These investigations have a very curious bearing 

 upon the allotropism of sulphur, noticed by Mr. Hunt in a late num- 

 ber, and upon the fact mentioned in the researches of M. Leconte, 

 on the action of sulphuretted hydrogen upon nitric acid*— that the sul- 

 phur precipitated without heat, had the soft or elastic condition, com- 

 monly obtained by pouring melted sulphur (at a certain temperature) 

 into cold water. G. C. S. 



If. Mineralogy and Geology. 

 1. Examination of the Telluret of Bismuth, from Virginia; ty 



» 



Coleman Fisher, Jr., (in a letter to the Editors, dated Philadelpni 

 December 26th, 1848.)— In the September number of your Journal, 

 Dr. C. T. Jackson has described a tellurium ore from White Hall mine, 

 Spotsylvania county, Virginia. Having received a small quantity of 

 the ore from Prof. R. S. McCulloh of the U. S. Mint, I subjected it to 



t 



* See this Journal for March, 1843, p. 261. 



