402 Miscellanies. 



3. Prof. Geo. Forchhammeb, of Copenhagen, on new substances 

 from the peal mosses. — We have received a letter from Prof. Forch- 

 hammer, dated Oct. 6th, 1840, stating that he was about to send a pa- 

 per for this Journal on some new compounds, which he has discov- 

 ered in the peat mosses of Denmark. " They are Tekoretin = C^ FP ; 

 PhyUoretin = C^ H^ ; Zyloretin = C^o H^e O* ; and Balorctin 

 _Q4ojj64= -)-Hi°05. The three first substances crystallize in beau- 

 tiful white crystals ; the last is a pulverulent body. It is partly want 

 of time at this moment, partly because I have still some analyses to make 

 on the compounds of Zyloretin with chlorine, which prevent me from 

 sending the paper at present ; but I hope soon to be able to send it." 



Geology of Denmark. — " I have just returned," continues Prof. F. 

 " from a tour through the greatest part of Denmark, principally upon an 

 enquiry into the nature of our bowlder formations. I have been able to 

 trace three periods in this vast formation. 1. The oldest contains fos- 

 sils agreeing with the sub-Appenine formation of Dartona and several 

 other places in upper Italy. 2. Contains no fossils, is very seldom 

 stratified, but consists of a yellow loam, and blue and yellow marls, with 

 numerous bowlders of enormous size. 3. Contains the fossils of our 

 present sea, in stratified gravel and bowlders, very often hardly any 

 thing but bowlders. 



" The theory of the bowlders being cai-ried by ice, either in form of 

 glaciers or ice islands, does not appear to me to agree with our forma- 

 tion, I am preparing a work on the geology of Denmark which will 

 soon appear in German, which I shall have the pleasure of sending you, 

 since I hardly dare hope that the Danish will be understood." 



4. Gilding by Electrograpliy. — Mr. Dent, of London, whose name 

 is well known as a skillful artist in chronometers, as well as by various 

 articles in this and other scientific journals on his own subject, has 

 recently sent us by the hand of Mr. Blunt, a very delicate steel chro- 

 nometer hair-spring, about three fourths of an inch in length and one 

 quarter of inch in spiral diameter, perfectly gilt with pure gold, by the 

 electrographic process. Perfect protection from rust is thus secured, 

 and probably some advantage is also gained in the relative changes of 

 electrical condition thus obtained, although Mr. Dent remarked that 

 some portion of the elasticity was lost. The same process has also been 

 applied to the protection of magnetic needles. 



Mr. Joseph Saxton of the United States' mint at Philadelphia, has 

 made much use of the electrographic art in the prosecution of his du- 

 ties at the mint. He last spring presented us with a medallion of Flora 

 and Pomona in copper, which he had gilded most perfectly, by simple 

 immersion for a few moments in a very weak neutral solution of the 

 chloride of gold. The deposite was perfectly uniform, and took place 



