1896.] P. C. Ray— On Mercurous Nitrite. 9 



The place of mercury in the Periodic System would naturally 

 justify the expectation that it would yield the analogue of silver nitrite, 

 and the present compound is a realisation of it. 



Although the compounds of monatomic mercury resemble the 

 corresponding ones of silver, there is a sharp distinction between them. 

 Silver never gives basic or hydrated salts, whilst the compounds of 

 mercury with nitric or nitrous acids seem to be almost invariably basic 

 or hydrated or both. 



It has already been said that for purpose of analysis the first or 

 second day's crop should be collected ; after a longer time a granular 

 mass of yellow rhombic tabular prisms (?) is obtained, which is 

 rather richer in the percentage of mercury and at the same time much 

 less stable. When this salt, after being dried on the porous tile, is kept 

 in the bottle, it constantly evolves nitrous fumes. 



Temperature also seems to have important bearing on the forma- 

 tion of the present salt. The ordinary temperature of the Laboratory 

 in the summer season, 31° to 30°C., seems to be very favourable for the 

 growth of the needles. 



The different mercurous nitrites and nitrates and mercuric nitrite, 

 as also an attempt to prepare nitro-ethane with the aid of the com- 

 pound now described, will form the subject of subsequent communica- 

 tions. 



J. II. 2 



