Chemistry and Physics. 



i?a(/ms.— Total length, ... 



Transverse breadth of proximal 



Transverse breadth of distal end,.. 41 



Least transverse diameter of shaft, 29 



Least circumference, . . - 80 



Metatarsus. — Total length, . . - 



Transverse breadth of proximal 



end, 33 



Antero-posterior breadth of proxi- 

 mal end, 36 



Transverse breadth of distal end, . . . . - 



Least transverse diameter of shaft, 22 



Least circumference of shaft, 67 



Length of corresponding portions 



(proximal five-sixths), 273 



scip:ntific intelligence. 



I. Chemist UY and Physics. 



1. Action of Nitric Acid on Silver and Copper, alone and in 

 presence of Nitrates.— AcvfO^Tu has examined at length, in the 

 laboratory of Dr. Frankland, the gases which are evolved by the 

 action of nitric acid on metals, both with and without the pres- 

 ence of nitrates in the solution. The following are his conclu- 

 sions : (1) cold dilute nitric acid acting on copper evolves nearly 

 pure nitrogen dioxide; (2) in presence of a strong solution of cu- 

 pric nitrate, this same action gives rise to nearly pure nitrogen mon- 

 oxide ; (3) potassium nitrate has no effect ; (4) ammonium nitrate 

 causes the evolution of nitrogen and nitrogen monoxide, mixed with 

 some dioxide ; (5) nitric acid, acting on zinc or iron in presence of 

 ammonium nitrate, evolves nearly pure nitrogen; (6) mercury 

 under the same circumstances acts similarly ; (7) on silver, the 

 gaseous products are nitrogen and nitrogen dioxide, with scarcely 

 a trace of the monoxide ; (8) in presence of ammonium nitrate, 

 silver produces nitrogen chiefly, mixed with a little nitrogen diox- 

 ide.—,/: Chem. Soc, II, xiii, 828, September, 1875. g. f. b. 



2. On the Cofidensability of the Gaseous Products of the vis- 

 tillation of Carbonaceous Shales. — Distillation of carbonaceous 

 shales at a low temperature, is extensively resorted to, as is well- 

 known, for the production of liquid hydro-carbons for iUumina- 

 ting purposes. The large amount of gas simultaneously produced, 

 and its high illuminating power, suggested to Coleman a se- 

 ries of experiments upon the condensability of these gaseous pro- 

 (lufts. For this purpose a compression-pump was provided, by 

 which the gas was condensed into an iron tube. This tube was 



