394 Scientific Intelligence. 
product of the action is an alloy of sodium and niobium or niobid 
of sodium which presents itself under the form of a black powder. 
Water decomposes this body and transforms it into a niobid of 
hydrogen containing about I per cent of hydrogen and having the 
formula, NbH. The substance obtained by Rose was certainly a 
protoxyd of niobium, Nb,O, The niobid of pyres is an ex- 
tremely fine black powder of density 6—6°6. Itis not attacked 
by chlorhydric, nitric or dilute sulphuric acid, but may be attacked 
and dissolved oa -siguag one boiling sulphuric acid and by fused 
umin cru 
7 aaa acide is a highly 
rey powder, with a strong metallic luster and 
with a density of 4°45 to 4 bi Fluotantalate of presen yields 
with aluminum an allo similar constitution and properties. 
The density of this body is 7-02; it dissolves oacily't in fluohydric 
H. Sainte-Claire Deville in presenting the above mentioned pa 
of Marignac described two new compounds of niobium ob- 
tained by himself fae not analyzed. When niobate of eee 18 
heated to about 1200 degrees with a small excess ms car 
ed by am 
and carbon, very beautiful black cubes are obtained eee are con- 
verted by chlorine into a mixture of chlorid and oxychlorid of ni- 
When the calcination takes place in a crucible of graphite 
heated to the highest tt temperature, but not surrounded by 
rutile and carbon, prismatic crystals are obtained of a magnificent 
ronze color which are doubtless the nitro-carbid of niobium 
analogous to the well known titanium compound sro vie by 
Wohler.— Comptes Rendus, \xvi, 180 and 183. w. 
5. Researches on Vanadium.—The st tudy of the ‘apdnes ‘of 
vanadium by Berzelius led to the c conclusion, since universally ac 
ch 
mula, VO,, and that the e ivalent - the metal, using the term 
alent in its older aad ess sense, is 68°5. Roscoe has 
presented to the Royal Society an p atinies memoir, in which set- 
ting out from the well known isomorphism of vanadinite with ap- 
atite, pyromorphite and —— he shows conclusively that 
dium belongs to ngs up of elements and is tria- 
and ak which these pee vo 
1 are in the Sauce words as iews 
a ae rd of vanadium oe having the atomic neers 67°2 
e metal of Berzelius). Hence vanadic acid contains 
were thas three atoms of oxygen. 
2. The following vanadium Mivsiien: oxyds have been obieined beth: + 
He dey and wet way aod tht composition determined :— 
