Scientific Intelligence. 309 



viewer adds, " We should be glad to see it reprinted exactly 

 upon the plan of the original ; and we have no doubt that it 

 would be found the most useful work on mineralogy in our lan- 

 guage." More need not be — more scarcely could be said. 



8. Jl new Alkali. 

 A new alkali has recently been discovered in Sweden, by 

 M. Arfwedson. It is found in the petalite, a mineral from 

 Utoen, in Sweden, in a proportion not over 6 pr, ct. ; also in 

 the triphane or spodumene, in the proportion of 8 per cent, 

 and in what is called crystallized lepidolite, in the proportion 

 of 4 per cent. In its general properties it very nearly resem- 

 bles the other alkalies. When heated in contact with platinum 

 it acts on it. In the galvanic circuit it was decomposed " with 

 bright scintillations, and the reduced metal being separated, 

 afterward burnt." This metal resembles sodium. The new 

 alkali has been called lithia. {Jour, of Science of the Roy. Inst.) 



9. Ignited Platinum Wire. 



In our last we mentioned the lamp without flame, the igni- 

 tion of platinum wire being sustained by means of the vapour 

 of alcohol. 



Sir H. Davy has discovered that the vapour of camphor 

 answers the same purpose : " If a piece of camphor, or a few 

 small fragments in a heap, be placed in any convenient situa- 

 tion, as on a shilling, the bottom of a glass, &c. and a piece of pla- 

 tinum wire, either coiled or pressed up together, be heated 

 and laid upon it, the platinum will glow as long as any camphor 

 remains, and will frequently light it up into a flame." 



Jour. Roy. Inst. 

 10. Red Rain. 



A red rain fell in Naples, (March 14, 1818,) the common 

 people were much alarmed, and called it blood or fire. 



An earthy powder was collected, which when dry was yel- 

 low, unctuous, and of an earthy taste; its specific gravity 

 2.07. 



Its analysis presented silex 33 — alumina 15.5 — chrome 1. 

 iron 14.5 — carbonic acid 9., and a combustible substance of a 

 carbonaceous nature. 



