240 LAHONTAN. 



able, the strong smell being quite characteristic, entirely different from 

 that of chlorine or nitric acid. 



I am quite unable to account for this ozonification of the air (or 

 oxygen) over crystallising iodic acid. My friend, Mr. Sterry Hunt, 

 has suggested that it may arise from a partial deoxidation similar to 

 that which produces ozone when hyperraanganates are decomposed, as 

 observed by him and other chemists. As the crystallizing acid remains 

 perfectly white, either opaque or transparent, and as the lower oxides 

 of iodine are of a yellow, or even brown colour, according to Millon, 1 

 cannot accept this explanation, and even if it were true, the phenome- 

 non would be equally unintelligible — a reduction taking place during 

 crystallisation. I can offer no explanation of the simple fad ihRt air 

 over crystallising pure iodic acid, becomes ozonised, but I think that 

 the observation seems to offer a wide field for futher experiments, which 

 I have unfortunately not the time to carry out. 



LAHONTAN 



BY THE EDITOR. 



The ordinary biographical notices of the Baron Lahontan are very 

 meagre. In the books of reference nearest at hand, his name does 

 not appear at ali. It is absent in Morgan's Sketches of Distinguished 

 Canadians, or Persons connected with Canada, in Appleton's Cyclo- 

 psedia of Biography (New York), and in Thomas's Universal Pro- 

 nouncing Dictionary of Biography (Philadelphia). As his name comes 

 up in connexion with the very early history of Toronto, I have thought 

 it expedient to draw up a brief Memoir, to be appended to a series 

 of papers on that subject. My sources of information will chiefly be 

 incidental autobiographical notices scattered up and down his own 

 pages. Such a memoir may also possess a general interest, as all those 

 who concern themselves with the literature of early Canadian and 

 North American history generally, must look into the Nouveaux Voy- 

 ages dans r Araorique Septentrionale, and so will naturally desire such 

 detail of the author's history as may be had. 



The complete title page of the copy now before me is, when trans- 

 lated into English, as follows : " New Travels, by Mons. le Baron de 

 Lahontan, in North America; containing an account of the different 



