4i6 Proceedings. 



pounds, so as to ascertain if it might not be developed into 

 a process of general applicability for the determination of 

 chlorine, and, possibly, of the other halogens in organic 

 bodies, and we hope at some future date to have the honour 

 of bringing before the members of this Society the result of 

 our continued experiments and researches." 



Mr. John Boyd communicated the third of Mr. P. 

 Cameron's papers entitled '^ Hymenoptera Orientalist 



Mr. William Brockbank, F.L.S., F.G.S., read the 

 second part of his paper " On a discovery of Spirorbis 

 Limestones near Whitehaven," and also communicated a 

 paper by Mr. J. W. Davis, F.G.S., &c., " On the discovery 

 of a New Species of Fossil Fish {Strepsodus Brockbanki) in 

 the Upper Coal Measures Limestones of Levenshulme." 



A paper "On the action of Nitric Acid on Poly terpenes, " 

 communicated by Mr. W. W. H. Gee, B.Sc, F.C.S., was read 

 by the author, Mr. H. L. Terry, F.I.C. The author has 

 studied the action of nitric acid of different strengths on 

 the bodies known as polyterpenes, viz., caoutchouc, gutta 

 percha, etc., and finds that although the ultimate action of 

 the acid is to oxidise the substance into oxalic and carbonic 

 acids, yet that a nitro-compound is formed as an inter- 

 mediate product. This body, which is best prepared by 

 allowing thin sheets of india rubber to stand in nitric acid, 

 diluted with an equal volume of water, for some weeks, is a 

 yellow amorphous powder. It exhibits the properties of a 

 nitro-compound, and when heated to I05°C. decomposes 

 suddenly, giving off nitric vapours, and leaving a mass of 

 free carbon. It is partially soluble in alcohol, but quite 

 insoluble in ether, chloroform, benzene, and carbon bisul- 

 phide. It is easily soluble in alkalies, forming a red 

 solution, although this is not a case of hydrolysis, as the 

 substance liberated from the solution by acids is insoluble 

 in ether. No crystalline body has, as yet, been obtained for 

 analysis, but the ultimate analysis of the yellow substance 



