144 Scientific Intelligence. 
rubber tube with two branches, one of which goes to a closed 
manometer and the other to a rubber bag. The bag, the manome- 
ter and the wide tube are filled with mercury. To make an obser- 
vation, the rubber bag is compressed till the mercury rises to the 
black glass index and the height of the mercury column in the 
manometer is noted. The thermometer bulb is then exposed to 
coagulates gradually on standing but at once on being heated to 
°- and possesses the properties of Leverrier’s solution of his 
considered as the anhydride of phosphorous acid since its aqueous 
solution reacts neutral and contains a yellow colloid.—Ber. Berl. 
Chem. Ges., xiv, 1884, September, 1881. G.. F. B. 
4. On the Preparation of spontaneously inflammable Hydrogen 
phosphide.—Bréss_er has re-examined H. Davy’s statement that 
the action of zinc upon dilute sulphuric acid in presence of granu- 
lated phosphorus, produces spontaneously inflammable phosphine, 
Dumas in 1826 having asserted that the gas evolved was hydrogen, 
when the liquid has a temperature of 40° to 50° C,, though after 
it has once commenced it continues even at the temperature of 
° 
potassium hydrate solution acts on zine and phosphorus at 60 © 
The hydrogen phosphide evolved by the action of hydrochlor! 
acid upon tin in presence of phosphorus is the ordinary variet 
Cc 
