320 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



crystals were seen to be of two forms, one acicular, the other rhombic. 

 The acicular crystals were difficultly soluble in absolute alcohol, but 

 easily soluble in ether, bisulphide of carbon, turpentine, and cold 

 nitric acid, and dissolved in sulphuric acid with formation of a brown 

 colouring-matter ; the rhombic crystals likewise dissolved in ether 

 and bisulphide of carbon, but were unaltered by cold nitric and sul- 

 phuric acids, or turpentine. The ethereal extract gave no reaction 

 for sulphuric acid ; but after boiling with nitric acid, a copious pre- 

 cipitate of sulphate of barium was deposited. When burnt in a 

 stream of dry oxygen gas, 0*0078 gramme of the extract, dried at 

 100° C, yielded 0*010 gramme of sulphurous acid, 0*008 gramme of 

 carbonic acid, and 0*003 gramme of water. Hence the meteorite 

 contained 1*24 per cent, of free sulphur, 0*54 per cent, of carbon, 

 and 0*1 per cent, of hydrogen, in a form soluble in ether. The 

 meteorite contains a considerable quantity of carbon (probably as 

 graphite) which is insoluble in ether. The total percentage of 

 carbon found on igniting the meteorite in oxygen amounted to 3*36 

 per cent. ; this closely corresponds with the amount found by Berze- 

 lius, viz. 3*05 per cent. 



From the above it is evident that the Alais meteorite contains 

 at least a half per cent, of a hydrocarbon which is deposited in 

 acicular crystals when the mass is treated with ether, together with 

 considerable quantities (more than 1 per cent.) of free sulphur, 

 Crystallizing from the ethereal solution in rhombic octahedra. To 

 judge by the melting-point, the hydrocarbon may be analogous to a 

 mineral wax called Xonlite, discovered by Kraus in the lignite of 

 Uznach, which contains an equal number of atoms of carbon and 

 hydrogen, and melts at 114° C. — Proceedings of the Literary and 

 Philosophical Society of Manchester, February 24, 1863. 



ON A NEW AND EXTREMELY SENSITIVE THERMOMETER. 

 BY DR. JOULE, F.R.S. 



Some years ago I remarked the disturbing influence of currents 

 of air on finely suspended magnetic needles, and suggested that it 

 might be made use of as a delicate test of temperature. I have lately 

 carried out the idea into practice, and have obtained results beyond 

 my expectation. A glass vessel in the shape of a tube, 2 feet long 

 and 4 inches in diameter, was divided longitudinally by a blackened 

 pasteboard diaphragm, leaving spaces at the top and bottom, each a 

 little over 1 inch. In the top space a bit of magnetized sewing- 

 needle, furnished with a glass index, is suspended by a single filament 

 of silk. It is evident that the arrangement is similar to that of a 

 "bratticed" coal-pit shaft, and that the slightest excess of tempera- 

 ture on one side over that on the other must occasion a circulation 

 of air, which will ascend on the heated side, and, after passing across 

 the fine glass index, descend on the other side. It is also evident 

 that the sensibility of the instrument may be increased to any re- 

 quired extent, by diminishing the directive force of the magnetic 

 needle. I purpose to make several improvements in my present 



