Anor. 6, 1 8 74 J 



JVA TURE 



275 



Last week two remarkably fine examples of the Smooth 

 Hound or Skate-toothed Shark (Musldiis riilgaris) were taken 

 in the fish weirs at Rhos Tynach, near Llandudno, and have been 

 secured byMr.W. Saville-Kent for the tanks of the Manchester 

 Aquarium. The fish arrived in good condition, and have 

 proved to be a pair, male and female. The latter, since its 

 arrival, has presented the institution with six young ones ; these 

 are all doing well, already take food, and are now swimming 

 about with the parents in the tank allotted them, 40 ft. long, 

 presenting a most interesting spectacle. Some young lierring 

 have been introduced by way of experiment, and the result has 

 been so satisfactory that it is sanguinely anticipated that the 

 Manchester Aquarium will shortly possess as fine a shoal of 

 herring as may be seen at Brighton. The mland position of 

 the former station and the consequent difficulties to be overcome 

 in transit will considtrably enhance the value of such an exhibi- 

 tion. The attendance at the weekly lectures and the interest 

 manifested in them continue to increase. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Laughing Kingfisher (Dacelo gigantca) from 

 Australia, presenled by Mr. J. S. White ; two Black-handed 

 Spider Monkeys [Atchs mdanochir) from Central America, pre- 

 sented by Mr. S. W. Rix ; a Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo 

 (CmuUua galitila) from Australia, presented by Miss S. Hooper; 

 a Tamandua Ant-eater (Tamnndua tdradactyla) from South 

 Ameiica, deposited ; and three Blotched Genets (Gcnetla ligriiia), 

 born in the Gardens. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



The Journal of the Chemical Socidy for July contains the fol- 

 lowing papers : — Note on a new mineral from New Caledonia, 

 by Archibald Liversidge. This mineral is a hydrated silicate of 

 nickel and magnesium allied to ahpilc. — Messrs. Gladstone and 

 Tribe contribute the seventh part of their researches on the 

 action of the copper-zinc couple on organic compound.s. The 

 iubstances now submitted to the aclion of the couple are the 

 chlorides of ethylene and ethylidene. The dry chlorides are not 

 acted on Ijy the couple, even at a boiling heat, but in presence 

 of water a feeble decomposition cccurs. The decomposition is 

 more energetic in the case of ethylidene chloride in the presence 

 of alcohol, decomposition taking place according to the equa- 

 tions : — 



■ C„H,C1„ -1- 2^="»° I -f 2Zn = C.>H, -f 2^'^"-g j Zn 

 ^ C.H^Cl., -h Zn ^ C.\\^+ ZnClj. 



Ethylene chloride only undergoes a small amount of decom- 

 position when mixed with alcohol and heated whh the couple. — 

 Isomeric terpenes and their derivatives. Part IV., §1. — On 

 cajeput oil, by Dr. C. R. A. Wright and T. Lambert. The oil 

 was fractionally distilled, and the fraction boiling at 176° — 

 179° (gi'ving on analysis numbeis agreeing with the formula 

 CioH.nO) was used for the experiments described. When 

 treated with bromine the compcund Ci„Hi8Br._,0 is produced, 

 ard ihis, on distillation, decomposes as follows : — 

 C j„H,8Br„0 = HjO -f sHBr -f Ci„Hi,. 



The cjmene thus obtained is identical wilh that obtainable from 

 many other terpene derivatives, since it yields by oxidation a 

 mixture of terephthalic and acetic acids. — § 2. On the action of 

 pentasulphide of phosphorus on terpenes and their derivatives, 

 by Dr. C. R. A. Wright. The action of this substance appears 

 to be the same in the case of citronellol and cajeputol, a terpene 

 being first produced according to the reaction : — 

 CioHisO-H^O = C,„H,6 



and this terpene by the further action of the pentasulphide 

 splitting up thus ; — 



C,„Hle-^S = H„S-^C„H,4 

 The cymene produced is identical with the preceding. — Action 

 of ammonia on phenyl-chloracetamide and cresyl-chloraceta- 

 mide, by Dr. D. Tommasi. When ammonia is dissolved in a 

 mixture of alcohol and water, and the amides warmed with this 



solution, chlorine is exchanged for hydroxyl, according to the 

 equation : — 



'"Tf{N.^'^|J0=NHU C««3) 



CHs,ClCO \ " ' •-' 1 CHjHOCO ) 



and similarly with the cresyl compound. This new compound, 

 termed by \\.sX\s,zo\txix phenyl- hydroxylacetamidc, is decomposed 

 by boiling water, by potassic, sodic, and baric hydrates, this latter 

 substance yielding aniline and some barium salt not examined. 

 Cresyl-hydroxylacetamide is obtained by a similar j^rocess, and 

 possesses very similar properties. — On Aqua Regia and the 

 nitroxyl chlorides, by Dr. W. A. Tilden. The dried gases 

 evolved from hot aqua regia when passed into concentrated 

 sulphuric acid give rise to the deposition of a crystalline substance 

 of the formula NOHSO4, while free chlorine and hydrochloric 

 acid gas escape. The acid nitroxyl sulphate heated with dry 

 sodium chloride yields nitroxyl monochloride (NOCl) as an 

 orange-yellow gas liquefying by a freezing mixture of ice and 

 salt. The author's researches prove that this gas is the only 

 compound of nitrogen, oxygen, and chlorine evolved hoxa atpia 

 regia, the reaction being : — 



HNOs-t-sHCI - NOCl ■^ CIj -H 2H2O. 



The concluding paper is by Charles E. Groves, On the pre- 

 par.ition of ethyl chloride and its homologues. The author 

 passes hydrochloric acid gas into ethylic or methylic alcohol 

 containing fused zinc chloride in solution. The present part 

 contains its usual collection of valuable abstracts. 



Tat. A meriean Journal of Scienec and Arts, July. — Results 

 derived from an examination of the United States weather maps 

 1S72-3, by Elias Loomis ; this we shall notice separately. — Prof. 

 C. F, Himes describes a method of jireparing photographic dry- 

 plates by daylight, by desensitising and resensitising the silver 

 compounds. — On a molecular change produced by the passage of 

 electrical currents through iron and steel bars, by John Trow- 

 bridge. The conclusions are:— (l) The passage of an electric 

 current through an iron or steel bar produces molecular change 

 in it, which is apparent both at the closing and breaking of the 

 circuit. (2) The rapid change of direction of a current through 

 iron or steel bars produces a molecular disturbance which is 

 greater than that imparted by a current sent in one direction 

 alone. (3) Magnetisation of the iron or steel is sufficient to 

 restore it to the normal magnetic state which is imparted by the 

 magnetising helix. (4) The molecular action increases «ith 

 the strength of the electric current. — The magnetism of soft 

 iron, by David Sears. Mr. Sears follows up the investi- 

 gations of M. Jamin given in the Comptes Rcndus for Jan. 

 12 l.nst. His results are:— (i). With poles of the same 

 name opposed to each other the magnetisation of an iron bar 

 forming the armature of the two poles is greater on a part of the 

 armature beyond the two poles than it is when poles of opposite 

 signs are opposed. (2) On points of the armature between the 

 two poles the magnetisation is greatest when poles of the opposite 

 names are opposed. A north and south pole attract an armature, 

 therefore, with much greater force than two north or two south 

 poles. (3) M. Jamin's conclusions from the experiments upon 

 an iron bar forming a core to the enveloping helices are as fol- 

 lows : — (3°) "If the theory of solenoids is admitted, the action 

 of parallel currents should be to increase the intensity of magne- 

 tisation ; on the contrary, it is diminished. (4°) When the cur- 

 rents in the magnetising helices run in opposite directions, they 

 should act opposed to each other en the currents circulating 

 around the particles of the iron, and should diminish each other's 

 action ; on the contrary, it is increased. (5°) The action of the 

 helices should be annulled at the middle of the bar. It is not." 

 When the bar to be experimented on forms not the core, but the 

 armature of two electro-magnets, the effects obtained are the 

 reverse of those obtained by M. Jamin, and tend to confirm 

 the theory of solenoids. — Mineralogical notes : Tellurium ores 

 of Colorado ; Geology of the Gold Hill Mining Region, with a 

 map.— Notes on diffraction gratings, by John M. Blake, with 

 woodcuts. After a long account Mr. Blake mentions that in 

 many points he has been anticipated by Lord Rayleigh in the 

 Phil. Mag. for February last. The explanation of the origi- 

 nation of the "bands" differs from Lord Rayleigh's. — On the 

 spectrum of the Zodiacal Light, by A. W. Wright. A Duboscq 

 spectroscope with a single prism was employed, the telescope 

 and collimator of which have a clear aperture of 2 '4 centimetres. 

 The magnifying power of the former is nine diameters. Special 



