On Animal Fat. 377 



was prepared. It was done by putting phosphorus to 

 about an equal bulk of iodine placed under water, in a glass 

 tube ; an imnnediaie action ensued consisting, apparently, in 

 the decomposition of water — oxygen being thus imparted 

 to the phosphorus and hydrogen to the iodine. The hydri- 

 odic acid, thus formed, of course remained mixed with 

 phosphoric acid, containing perhaps an excess of phospho- 

 rus. I did not make the trial with the pure hydriodic acid, 

 and cannot positively say what agency the phosphorus 

 might have had, in producing this effect. Even if the phos- 

 phorus should prove to be essential, perhaps the observa- 

 tion may be still worthy of beimg preserved. No other 

 metallic solution gave similar results. — Editor. 



14. American Geological Society. 



From its munificent President William Maclure, Esq. 

 the society has recently received a box of the lavas of Ve- 

 suvius — Beudant's Geological travels in Hungary 4 volumes 

 with maps — a continuation of the Revue Encyclopedique, 

 and of the Journal de Physique — Conybeare and Philips' 

 Geology of England, and a case of the Glauberite of Spain. 



Major Delafield has presented to the society a box of 

 minerals consisting principally of the boulder stones found 

 on the shores of the upper lakes, but embracing also vari- 

 ous domestic and foreign specimens. 



1 5. On Animal Fat. 



Stearine and Elaine. 



[Communicated by Professor Eaton.] 



An intelligent tallow-chandler, Mr. W. Parraelee of 

 Lansingburgh, informed me, a few days since, that the tal- 

 low of beeves, which are slaughtered during, or at the close 

 of the hot season, makes much harder candles, than of those 

 which are kept until the weather becomes cold. This 

 fact, he said, had always been known to tallow-chandlers; 

 but he gave a reason for this difference, which I believe you 

 will think worthy of scientific investigation. 



Mr. P. had not noticed the distinction made by chemists 

 between the olive-oil-like part, called elaine, which lique- 



VoL. VI — No. 2. 48 



