136 Scientific Intelligence. 
seennty. either from the milt itself or from the glands secreting it. 
he composition of these spermatozoids, noun peculiar, is quan- 
titatively quite constant P aeyacaass. of lecithin 7°5 per cent, choles- 
terin 2°2 per cent, fat 3°5 per cent, albuminates 10°3 ag cent, 
Sere rincipal fn es putes ng 9°6 per cent of 
phosphorus—48°7 per cent. This ‘latter Hes Se porab now for the 
first time "shined pure, is not free in the sperm; it exists there as 
an insoluble compound of an organic base, protamine. To prepare 
this, the spermatozoids are extracted with hot alcohol to remove 
fat, ‘lecithin, etc. The residue may then be treated with hydro- 
chloric acid and 1 DeeMntiates with platinic chloride; or with nitric 
acid and thrown down by mercuric nitrate. On decom osing the 
precipitate with ees sulphide, the hydrochlorate or nitrate 
of the base is obtained. Both these salts er ystallize with difficulty 
on slow evaporation in prisms probably rhombic. They are 
easily soluble in water, difficulty so in alcohol, insoluble in ether. 
They have a peculiar taste, which is astringent, faintly sweet and 
at the same time bitter. Evaporated with nitric acid a yellow 
spot is left, which on adding sodium hydrate, becomes a beautiful 
red, passing into violet ou warming. ‘The free base reacts alka- 
ine. Analysis fixes its formula as "Ce H,,N,0,(OH). It consti- 
tutes 26°8 per cent of the dry spermatoz zoids. "From the testicles 
of a single large salmon in October, 20-30 grams of prosemniie 
may be obtained.— Ber. Berl. Chem. Ges., vii, 376, Apel, iSite 
6. On the Aqueous lines in the Solar Spectrum at as ailti- 
tudes.—Crocr-SPInEtii and ih eb during their balloon-ascent 0 
March 22d, were furnished by Jan with a small spectroscope 
for the purpose of observing the saat epecerain at high altitudes. 
They ascended from Villette in a balloon of 2800 cubic meters 
so ange § at 11" 34™ in the forenoon, a8 reached their highest 
1" 30", the barometer standing at 30 aus indicating a 
eight of 7300 meters. The tem mperature, which at starting was 
13°, fell to— 22°. The descent was safely ace se at 2° 12™, 
The s spectroscopic observations were to be directed specially to the 
two dark bands on either side of the D lines, produced, as is well 
known, by the vapor of water. Janssen attributed them to ter- 
retrial absorption, and hence joe egg that pe ought 4 de 
band on the right of the D line disappeared, and at 7000 meters, 
that on the left become invisible. he lines E and F were more 
decided than at the sea rains The red of the spectrum became 
darker, so Does Band C were Se a with difficulty. Atmos- 
herie g¢ was so much reduced that at 6000 meters, at 180° 
m tie ese a the yellow of the spectrum could be seen and 
ele a out e observations given were made at an 
to 7° Foot the sun.— C. R., Ixxviii, 946, April, he 
