Miscellanies. 373 



forms well characterized salts, of which the simple salts are acid, but 

 the double, neutral. It consists of. 



Carbon, . . 0.2874 . 6 atoms. 



Nitrogen, . . 0.6657 . 12 atoms. 

 Hydrogen, . . 0.0469 . 12 atoms. 



Ammeline. — Ammellne is a very feeble base. It is insoluble in 

 water, alcohol and ether, but dissolves in most of the acids and caus- 

 tic alkalies. On evaporating its solution in nitric acid, it crystaUizes 

 in long, colorless, quadrangular prisms. Precipitated by ammonia, 

 it has a silken lustre. Fused with the hydrate of potash, ammonia 

 and cyanate of potash are formed. It is composed of, 



Carbon, . . 0.2855 . 6 atoms. 



Nitrogen, . . 0.5511 . 10 atoms. 



Hydrogen, . . 0.0389 . 10 atoms. 



Oxygen, . . 0.1245 . 2 atoms. 



Two atoms of melam, and two atoms of water, give one atom of 

 melamine, and one atom of ammeline. 



Ammelid. — The addition of alcohol to a solution of melam in 

 sulphuric acid, causes a deposit of a white powder, [ammelid,) re- 

 sembling ammeline in all its physical characters, except that it is not 

 basic. It may be dissolved in acids, but is separated again by wa- 

 ter and alcohol. It consists of, 



Carbon, . . 0.2844 . 6 atoms. 



Nitrogen, . . 0.4944 . 9 atoms. 



Hydrogen, . . 0.0354 ." 9 atoms. 



Oxygen, . . 0.1861 . 3 atoms. 



Cyanilic acid, formed by the action of concentrated nitric acid on 

 raellon, has a composition absolutely the same, as that of cyanuric 

 acid. But its atomic weight is double. 



Note by the Translator. — There seems to be here an unnecessa- 

 ry departure from the ordinary rules of nomenclature, in the forma- 

 tion of the names of the above compounds. By an examination of 

 their composition, it appears that melam and melamine are compo- 

 sed of ammonia and mellon in different proportions, and that amme- 

 line and ammelid contain in addition some water. 



