42 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XX. No. 497. 



These determinations, in which carbon 

 dioxide was passed over solid sulphur, re- 

 sulted as follows: 



With prismatic sulphur .... 0.007 mm. 

 With rhombic sulphur 0.0065 mm. 



Although this value is so small, consider- 

 able amounts of sulphur pass over when 

 water containing it in suspension is boiled. 

 Some Notes on Laurent Polariscope Read- 

 ings: Geo. W. Rolfe and Chas. Field, 

 3d. 



These rotation readings are about 0.2 

 per cent, lower than those given by the 

 Lippich apparatus. The experiments of 

 the authors indicate that this variation is 

 not due to the imperfections of the polari- 

 scope, as asserted by some, but to the 

 nature of the light used. 

 The Molecular Depression Constant of p- 

 Azoxyanisol: H. Monmouth Smith. 

 This value has been determined at dif- 

 ferent times and stated variously to be 750, 

 654 and 545. A redetermination of this 

 constant was made and a value of 563 ob- 

 tained. Ketones were found to give an ab- 

 normal value 32 per cent, higher than the 

 average found from other classes of com- 

 pounds. 



The Sulphates of Beryllium: C. L. Par- 

 sons. 



Of those described, namely, BeSO^ -41120, 

 J3eSO,-2H,0, BeSO^-TH^O, BeSO^, and 

 certain basic sulphates, the first is com- 

 paratively stable in moist air, and the sec- 

 ond in dry air. There is good evidence 

 that the third does not exist, and the fourth 

 could not be prepared by any methods used 

 by the author. The basic sulphates are 

 probably only solid solutions. 

 Turpentine ai/ul Coloplionium of the North- 

 ern Pine and Douglas Fir: G. B. Feank- 

 FORTER. (By title.) 

 Metallic and Other Salts of Eugenol: G. 



B. Frankforter. (By title.) 

 The Wurtz Synthesis: James F. Norris. 

 (By.title.) 



Strontium Malate: Alvin S. Wheeler and 



W. McKiM Marriotte. (By title.) 

 The Oxidation of Phenylnaphthalene- 



dicarboxylic Acid: John E. Bucher. 



The principal products obtained were 

 diphenyltetracarboxylie acid, two isomeric 

 oxal-diphenyltricarboxylic acids, and a 

 very small quantity of o-benzoylbenzoic 

 acid. In addition to these, a number of 

 other acids were found whose constitution 

 has not yet been determined. 

 The Decomposition of Nitroso Compounds: 



William A. Noybs and R. de M. Taveau. 



From the compound 



four decomposition products have previ- 

 ously been described by one of the authors. 

 By treatment of the nitroso derivative of 

 the anhydride of this acid with sodium 

 hydroxide and methyl or ethyl alcohol they 

 have now obtained addition products of 

 formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, respect- 

 ively, with the nitroso compound less the 

 nitroso group. The investigation will be 

 extended to other nitroso compounds. 

 Substitution in the Aliphatic Series: A. 



Michael and H. J. Turner. 



When bromine is forced to act upon pro- 

 pane, the effect is confined to the methylene 

 group, while chlorine, which has more free 

 energy, acts not only upon the methylene 

 but also to a smaller extent upon the less 

 susceptible methyl group. An analogous 

 effect is observed in the case of hexane. 

 Each halogen produces more of the sec- 

 ondary substitution product than of the 

 tertiary, but the ratio of their amounts is 

 4 : 1 with bromine, and 3 : 2 with chlorine. 

 Chlorine also yields a larger quantity of 

 primary hexyl chloride than does bromine. 

 The Effect of Constitutive Influences upon 



the Additive Power of Carbmyl: A. 



Miciiaeij and H. J. Turner. 



This M'as studied by observing the sta- 

 bility of the semicarbazones in the presence 



