Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 213 



account of the homology mentioned (III.) of the spectra of cyanogen 

 and carbonic oxide with the spectra of their elements, we may con- 

 clude that the ground of the homology of the spectra of the elements 

 is to be souc/ht in the mode of their composition. 



From this hypothesis, in accordance with Mendelejeff 's laws, the 

 following conclusions may be drawn : — 



The spectra of the elements carbon, boron, and magnesium are 

 completely homologous. Hence these three elements consist of 

 similar material existing in different stages of condensation, which 

 find expression in the displacement of the homologous lines. The 

 atomic weights of boron and carbon are nearly the same ; that of 

 magnesium is 24=2 x 12. 



The spectra of silicon and aluminium are homologous ; and the 

 more refrangible portion corresponds to the spectrum of carbon, the 

 less refrangible portion to that of oxygen. Silicon consists, there- 

 fore, of carbon and oxygen, with the corresponding atomic weight 

 12 + 16 = 28. 



Aluminium contains carbon in the form of boron (perhaps of 

 beryllium) and oxygen, as its atomic weight 27 = 11 + 16 indicates. 



The elements of the group of alkaline earths have spectra whose 

 more refrangible part corresponds to the spectrum of magnesium, 

 and the less refrangible part to that of the spectra of the elements 

 of the oxygen group. 



Hence calcium, strontium, and barium consist of carbon in the 

 form of magnesium, and oxygen in the condensed forms of sulphur, 

 selenium, and tellurium, corresponding to the atomic weights 

 Ca=24 + 16, Sr=24 + 4xl6, Ba=24 + 7xl6. 



The elements of the oxygen group all consist of the same mate- 

 rial, present in different stages of condensation, w T hich find expres- 

 sion in the displacement of the homologous groups of lines in the 

 spectrum . 



The atomic weights of the elements of this series are 

 0*=16, 8=16+16, Se = 16 + 4xl6, Te=16 + 7xl6. 



The halogens all consist of fluorine and oxygen in different forms 

 of condensation ; the atomic weights of the elements of this group 

 express these relationships — 



Cl=19 + 16, Br=19 + 4xl6, 1=19 + 7x16. 



The spectra of the elements of the nitrogen group are homologous 

 in their less refrangible portion with that of nitrogen, in their 

 more refrangible portion with those of the elements of the oxygen 

 group. Hence the elements of the nitrogen group consist of nitro- 

 gen and oxygen, in different stages of condensation, as is indicated 

 by the combining weights, 



N=14, P=14 + 16, As = 14 + 4xl6, Sb*=14+7xl6. 

 Berichte der haiserlichen AJcademie der Wissenschaften in Wien, 1880, 

 XVII. pp. 138-141. 



ON THE ACTION OF HOLLOW IN COMPARISON WITH THAT OF 

 SOLID STEEL MAGNETS. BY W. HOLTZ. 



In experiments on magnetizing steel during its hardening, I had 



