306 MISCELLANEOUS. 



hydrogen with effervescence, and being converted into silicic acid. When heated 

 in the air it ignites and burns with a very -white light. 



FORMATION OF NITROUS ACID. 



Tuttle has found that nitrous acid is formed when copper is oxidized in presence 

 of ammonia ; the blue solution obtained b) exposing strips of copper and ammonia 

 to the air, contains nitrous acid. None is formed by exposing an aminoniacal solu- 

 tion of black oxide of copper, but a trace is produced by employing the colourless 

 solution of the red oxide. 



-ffiTFIYLAMINE. 



According to Tuttle this is best prepared by heating a mixture of urea with five 

 parts of sulphovinate of lime and excess of caustic lime. The vapours are passed 

 into muriatic acid, the solution evaporated and treated -with a mixture of alcohol 

 and asther, to separate the sal ammoniac. The solution furnishes a deliquescent 

 salt, from which the ssthylamine can be obtained by the action of potassa. 



ARTIFICIAL FORMATION OF GLYCERINE. 



Wurtz has obtained glycerine in the following way : Berthelot's iodized propy- 

 lene C 6 H 5 I is treated with excess of bromine, and a tribromide obtained 

 C 6 H S B 3 . This is mixed with acetate of silver, and excess of glacial acet'c acid, 

 and kept for several days at a temperature of 218°-257° F. ; the liquid filtered 

 off, and the bromide cf silver washed with aether, the liquid distilled until the 

 temperature rises to 284° F., the residue treated with lime and aether. The 

 sethereal solutiou leaves a yellowish oil, which is triacetine, and can be resolved by 

 saponification into acetic acid and glycerine. That the substance was really 

 glycerine was proved by the action of iodide of phosphorus, which gave iodized 

 propylene. 



LEUCINE AND ALANINE. 



Limpricht has found that by distillation leucine is resolved into carbonic acid 

 and amylamine. Alanine yields aBthylanr.ne, and glycocine would, in all pro- 

 bability, give methylamine. H. C. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



We are strongly tempted to find a place for the following graceful and humorous 

 metrical tributes paid to one of the most distinguished scientific men of this con- 

 tinent, under our periodical heading of Ethnology avd Archaeology. Ethnological 

 it will be seen the muse has grown, under the inspiration of her theme ; and though 

 recognising the event she celebrates as one which looks forward to an antiquity yet 

 to be attained : there is an Archaeological treatment of the subject ample enough 

 for all purposes, at least of the comic muse ! 



On the 28th of May last, the distinguished American savant, Louis Agassiz, 

 attained his fiftieth birth day ; and on that pleasant anniversary an assembly of 

 poets, men of science, and loving friends, of Boston and its neighbourhood, met 

 together and celebrated a birth-day dinner, such as those who shared in the enjoy- 

 ment of it will long keep in fresh remembrance. None who have met with the 

 genial and highly gifted Agassiz, and so learned to appreciate how thoroughly the 

 delightful elements of the companion and friend blend in him, with thoso of 

 the acute and fearless investigator of science, will fail to appreciate the hearty 

 sincerity and cordial warmth which must have united together the friends gath- 



