206 T. S. Hunt on the Compound Ammonias. 
mant state, seems to be a wise and inestimably excellent provis- 
ion appointed by nature for the preservation of the vitality of the 
system against the extreme cold of winter. Observations and 
experiments are yet wanting to determine, whether those mem- 
bers of the animal kingdom, which have little or no power of 
resisting external changes of temperature, are endowed with a 
like increased immunity from the injurious effects of cold, dur- 
ing the period of hybernation. On a future occasion, I hope to 
make this point a subject of special investigation. 
- University of Georgia, July 4th, 1851. 
Awr? XVL—On the Compound Ammonias, and the bodies of the 
Cacodyle Series; by 'T'’. 8. Hunt, Chemist to the Geological 
Commission of Canada. 
THe beautiful researches of Hofmann and Wurtz have shown 
in this Journal.* As regards their composition, we will only 
recall that in the alkaloids of Wurtz, the elements of an equiva~ 
lent of ammonia are united with those of a carbohydrogen, 
CH:2, C:H« CsH1o or what is the same thing, that CH, C2Hs 
and CsH12, the so-called radicals, methyl, ethyl, and amyl, may 
be regarded as replacing an atom of hydrogen in ammonia. 
Hence, as we have before remarked in speaking of them, “ they 
hydrobromic and hydriodic ethers, to form directly the corres 
ponding salts of the new alkaloids, and these alkaloids, with other 
rhage of the ethers, have yielded him compounds in ee 
two and three equivalents of h laced by the sa 
or by different carbo-h aes chakcha a ae 
er carbo-hydrogens not homologous with 
ethyl may be introduced, and Helisenn has obtained alkaloids 
containing one and two equivalents of phenyl C.H:, with one oF 
more of ethyl. 
* See [2], vol. ix, p. 66; xii, pp. 115,498, is Journal, vol. ix, p- 65: 
t Ibid, and vol. v, p. 266.” - 4 Tule de 
eg ee OS SRS Ne FO aT RE ee eee ee ee ae 
