710 Analysis of Raw Silk. [Dec. 



XV. — Postscript to the Account of the Wild Goat of Nipdl, printed 

 in the September No. of the Journal, page 490. By B. H. Hodg- 

 son, Esq. 



Carefully as I thought my account of the wild goat of Nipal, 

 recently published by you, was executed, I find that there is one 

 material error in it, viz. the statement that the species has only two 

 teats or mammse. A recent dissection of a fine male led to the 

 notice of the fact, that there are four teats, which fact was confirmed 

 by the examination of two live females. There can, therefore, be no 

 question that this species of goat has four teats : and the circum- 

 stance is so remarkable, that I propose to substitute the name Quadri- 

 mammis, or four-teated ; for the popular name of Jharal under which 

 I described it. Deer are distinguished by four teats ; goats and 

 sheep, heretofore, by two ; the intermediate genus, antelope, by four 

 or two, in the several species. Capra Quadrimammis vel Jharal, by 

 its four teats, offers a singular and unique approximation (in this 

 genus) to cervus ; and another proof that the infinite variety of nature 

 cannot be designated by our artificial signs and peremptory divisions. 

 Antilope, capra, and ovis, how shall we contradistinguish them ? solid 

 cored horns, in the first, is no unerring mark : and now we have a 

 species of the second, and a beardless species too, abandoning his 

 congeners to tally himself with cervus — quoad, the number of mammae. 



XVI. — Analysis of Raw Silk. By Mr. J. W. Laidlay. 



A. A hundred grains of yellow raw silk were digested in moder. 

 ately strong alcohol, which soon assumed a fine orange tint. At the 

 end of some days, much colour remaining unremoved, heat was 

 applied, and the solution gently boiled. The alcohol was then decant- 

 ed, and successive portions of the same solvent were employed, 

 till the silk appeared perfectly decolorized. The solutions were then 

 reduced to a moderate compass by distillation, and on cooling deposited 

 a feeble cloudy precipitate, which subsided slowly. The clear fluid 

 being decanted, and evaporated at a gentle heat to dryness, left a 

 deep orange brown mass, which weighed 9 grains. This substance 

 was adhesive, fusible, scarcely, if at all, soluble in water, but readily 

 so in alcohol, to which in small proportions it communicated a fine 

 orange tint. A concentrated solution deposits on cooling a vast 

 number of minute shining crystals, which subside to the bottom in 

 the form of a brilliant orange-brown powder. When this precipita- 



