818 



SCIENCE. 



LN. S. Vol. III. No. 74. 



as the final product. In the present paper it is 

 shown that an intermediate addition product is 

 formed, which then breaks down into silver 

 chloride and the diacidanilide. The reaction is 

 similar to many studied by Nef. 



On the existence of tiuo OrtJwpMhalic Acids : By 

 W. T. H. Howe. In this paper the cause of 

 the difference in the melting point of orthoph- 

 thalic acid as observed by a number of investi- 

 gators is explained. The observations have 

 been made probably with two different acids or 

 mixtures of the two. Two have been isolated, 

 which are alike in composition, molecular 

 weight, and molecular refraction ; but different 

 in melting point, electrical conductivity, solu- 

 bility, formation of salts with bases and re- 

 duction products. The author explains this 

 case of isomerism by the difference in the 

 arrangement of the double bonds of the Kekule 

 formula. 



The Reduction of Permanganic Acid by Man- 

 ganese Superoxide .• By H. N. Morse, A. J. 

 Hopkins and M. S. Walkee. The reduction 

 which takes place in solutions of potassium 

 permanganate and permanganic acid is shown 

 to be due to the action of manganese superoxide. 

 If the solutions, after standing a short time, 

 are thoroughly filtered, they can be kept un- 

 changed. 



This number contains also a review of recent 

 improvements in chemical industries, with spe- 

 cial reference to sulphur, pyrites, sulphuric, 

 hydrochloric and nitric acids, and reviews of 

 Ostwald's Klassiker ; Review of American 

 Chemical Research, A. A. Noyes ; Organic 

 Chemistry, R. L. Whiteley; The Chemistry of 

 Pottery, K. Langenbeck. 



J. Elliott Gilpin. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 NEW YOEK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, MAY 18, 1896. 



The Academy met with President Stevenson 

 in the chair. 



The Section of Geology and Mineralogy at 

 once organized. 



The first paper of the evening was by Mr. 

 Heinrich Ries entitled ' Notes of a trip through 

 the Marble Quarries of Western New England 



and Eastern New York.' Mr. Ries sketched 

 out the geology and geographic distribution of 

 limestone quarries along the Hudson and Lake 

 Champlain Valleys passing north and the 

 marble quarries in the Green Mountains and 

 Berkshire hills coming south. His remarks 

 were copiously illustrated by the lantern and 

 by many beautiful specimens. The paper was 

 discussed by Messrs. Martin, Dodge and Kemp, 

 to whose remarks the speaker replied. 



The second paper of the evening was by J. 

 F. Kemp on ' The great Quartz Vein at Lan- 

 tern Hill, near Mystic, Conn.' The speaker 

 described the vein as about 400 feet in width 

 and at least 1,200 feet in length. Its northern 

 extremity forms the summit of Lantern Hill 

 abovit 500 feet above sea level. This portion is 

 of hard milky white quartz. The southern ex- 

 tension of the vein forms Long Hill. It is 

 lower in altitude and largely composed of loose 

 pulverulent quartz, which, however, perfectly 

 preserves the comby structure of the quartz 

 vein. It consists of innumerable interlocking 

 masses of quartz crystals. It is but slightly 

 iron stained in a few spots. It is so soft that it 

 can be crumbled between the fingers and is 

 easily dug with pick and shovel without any 

 blasting. The vein strikes north about 15 

 degrees east and cuts squarely across the lami- 

 nations of the gneiss. It is one of the largest 

 quartz veins known in the East and is of very 

 pure silica. Samples from the crumbly portion 

 range from 98 to 99.4 SiOa. A few rare scales 

 of some micaceous or chloritic mineral are 

 practically the only other ones present. Under 

 the microscope the powdered quartz appears 

 quite fresh and exercises a vigorous influence 

 on polarized light. Some prism faces of quartz 

 crystals show etched figures, but in general the 

 evidence of corroding alkaline solutions is hard 

 to find. The speaker was therefore led to re- 

 fer the pulverulent character of the vein to the 

 effects of a faulting or crushing movement, al- 

 though he inferred on the spot the action of 

 some corroding alkaline solution, presumably 

 magnesian . The paper was discussed by Messrs. 

 Dodge and Hovey. 



The third paper of the evening was by J. F. 

 Kemp and was entitled ' The Pre-Cambrian 

 Topography of the Adirondacks. ' The speaker 



