Quarterly Abstract of European Chemistry. 191 



forming the sulphates zincico-ferric and cuprico-ferric. It is remarkable 

 that these salts behave towards reactives as simple salts of an unknown 

 radical. Alkalies precipitate the oxides in a state of combination, the 

 character of which has no connection with that of the separate oxides 

 acting like a simple oxide. The author very justly remarks, that since 

 we see compound oxides presenting the character of simple oxides, 

 may not some of the oxides we now consider simple be compound, as 

 was proved to be the case with the black oxide of iron, a long while 

 considered the protoxide ; the same is true of the oxides of cerium 

 and yttria, which Mosander has shown to contain oxides of lanthanium, 

 dydimium, erbium, and terbium. A general conclusion has been ar- 

 rived at by this research, which is, that whenever a solution of two 

 oxides, one of which is the sesquioxide of iron, is treated by an alkali, 

 the precipitate that appears at first is a combination of two oxides ; for 

 this to take place it is necessary that the salts should be present in such 

 quantities as that the oxygen of the protoxide should be at least double 

 that of the peroxide. 



Action of Ammonia upon Butyric Ether, by G. Chancei,, (Compt. 

 Rend. May, 1844, p. 949.) — The action of ammonia upon this ether is 

 similar to that it exercises upon oxalic ether ; that is to say, it gives 

 rise to a butyramide in the one case, as it does an oxamide in the 

 other ; although the action is slower, requiring some eight or ten days 

 to be completed. It is formed by adding together in a phial one part 

 of butyric ether and five or six of ammonia, agitating frequently ; upon 

 evaporating two thirds of the fluid, the amide deposits itself in the form 

 of tabular crystals of a pearly lustre, colorless and transparent — does 

 not alter by contact with the air ; possesses a sweet and fresh taste, fol- 

 lowed by a bitterish after taste in the back of the mouth ; melts at 

 115° C. (239° Fah.) into a colorless liquid which can be volatilized 

 without any residue ; soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. The alka- 

 lies decompose it in solution at 100° C. (212° Fah.) into ammonia and 

 butyric acid. Composition C^ H'' O- AzH^. 



A new Cyanide of Gold, by John Carty, (Lon. and Ed. Phil. Mag. 

 Sup. July, 1844, p. 515.) — Protochloride of gold is decomposed by cy- 

 anide of potassium, forming a yellow matter perfectly soluble in an 

 excess of the cyanide ; to this solution hydrochloric acid in excess is 

 added ; and on boiling a bright yellow precipitate is formed, which is 

 the cyanide in question. It is insoluble in water, alcohol, or ether, but 

 soluble in ammonia and cyanide of potassium ; decomposed by heat, 

 furnishing cyanogen gas. It is a protocyanide, composed of 200 parts 

 of gold and 26 of cyanogen. 



