66 ' REPOKT — 1876. 



iany solid matter nor resin after standing for some months exposed to air ; neither 

 does its reaction alter. The oil rapidly absorbs oxygen from air. It is most ener- 

 getically acted upon by strong nitric acid, also by sulphuric acid, which appears to 

 polymerize some of the constituents of the oil. Hydrochloric acid gas produces one 

 or perhaps two liquids, but no solid chlorhydrates ; these are scarcely, if at all, de- 

 composed by prolonged ag itatation with warm water. The specilic gi-avity of sage- 

 oil is 09339 at 14° C. After prolonged fractionation the oil splits up into four main 

 portions — two liquids, almost certainly terpenes, boiling respectively at 157° and at 

 167" C. ; a liquid, probably containing oxygen, boiling at 198°-203° ; and a solid 

 camphor melting at 187° C. The terpenes both appear to contain cymene, as by 

 treatment with sulphuric acid, the liquid being carefully kept cold, and distillation 

 in steam, cymene is obtained. These terpenes yield brominated compounds, which 

 split up, on distillation, intohydrobromic acid and cymene ; the brominated compound 

 from the lower boiling terpene is much more stable, however, than that from the 

 terpene of higher boiling-point. For the oxygenized liquid constituent of the oil 

 the name of salviol is proposed. The terpenes both yield terephthalic acid on oxida- 

 tion with weak chromic liquor. 



On the action of Dilute Saline Solutions upon Lead *. 

 By M. M. Pattison Muie, F.R.S.E. 



After generalizing former results the author describes experiments carried out 

 under varying conditions, which seem to prove : — 



(1) That increase of surface of lead exposed is generally associated with increase 

 of lead dissolved. This conclusion does not, however, invariably hold good ; the 

 nature of the salt in solution, the time of action, &c. influence the action. 



(2) That exposure of large siu-faces of liquid to the surrounding air very gene- 

 rally causes an increase in the quantity of lead dissolved, this increase being most 

 marked in the case of those salts (nitrates &c.) which enable water to exercise a 

 notable solvent action upon lead, and after the expiry of lengthened periods of 

 time. 



(3) That the solvent action of dilute saline solutions upon lead increases in an 

 ever-increasing ratio with increase of time of action (longest period tried = 505 hours), 

 except ia the case of potassium carbonate solutions, where a point of maximum 

 action appears to be reached after the expiry of about 340 hours. 



On certain Compounds of BismiitJif. By M. M. Pattison Mtjie, F.B.S.E. 



In this paper the following salts of bismuth are described : — 

 Bismnthous trichloride and trihromide : the action of hydrogen upon these salts 

 is detailed. Attempts to prepare a chloride higher than Bi Clg, which led to no 

 positive results, are described. Avmionio-bis)mdhot(s trihromides, Bi Brg . SNH,, 

 Bi Br^ . 2NII3, and 2Bi Erg . SNH^ ; bismuthyl oxyhromides, Bi^ Br^ O,, and Bi^, Br, 

 0,3; hismuthic hro7iw-nitride, BiN^I^i'! hypobismnthic hydrate, Bi^ O4 . Hj,0 ; and 

 a number of chromates of bismuth, the principal of which are : — bismuthyl chroynate, 

 (Bi 0)2 Cr 0^ ; bismuthyl dichromute, (Bi O)^ Cr^ O.^ ; monohydrated hisinuthyl dichro~ 

 mate, (Bi 0)2 Cr„ O, . H^ j and monohydrated bistmdhyl tetrachr ornate, (Bi 0)^ Cr4 



On Relations among the Atomic Weights of the Elements., 

 By J. A. E. Newlands. 



On the Alum Process in Svgar-reftning. By J. A. E.. Newlands. 



* Vide Proc. Manch. Lit. and PhU. Soc. 1876-77, pp. 1 & 142. 



t Journ. Chem. Soc. vol. i. 1876, p. 144, vol. ii. p. 12, and vol. i. 1877, p. 24. 



