86 Scientific Intelligence. 



so small quantities the first weight was used in the analysis. 

 The very small percentage of S0 3 is certainly remarkable. 

 Finally, the last filtrate, after precipitating the copper with 

 H„S, was evaporated to dryness, ignited to expel the excess of 

 H„S0 4 , the residue dissolved in water and tested with ammo- 

 nia, ammonium sulphide, ammonium oxalate and sodium phos- 

 phate, but as no precipitates were formed it was assumed that 

 everything had been precipitated from the solution. The 

 weighed AgCl and Cu„S were found to be pure. 



JPyrognostics and chemical tests. — Connellite fuses before the 

 blowpipe at about 2 to a black shining globule, coloring the 

 flame green. Heated in the closed tube it gives abundant 

 water, which has a strong acid reaction. Insoluble in water, 

 but soluble in dilute acids, the solution giving with barium 

 chloride a slight precipitate of BaS0 4 . 



Mineralogical Laboratory, Sheffield Scientific School, 

 New Haven, May, 1890. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



I. Chemistry and Physics. 



1. On the Chemical character of Beryllium. — In consequence 

 of the position of beryllium as a typical element in the periodic 

 system, Kruss and Moeaht have made an exact study of its 

 chemical characters. The oxide was prepared from Arendal 

 leucophane, by acting on the finely pulverized mineral with sul- 

 phuric acid in excess, the operation being conducted in a platinum 

 dish. After driving off the excess of acid, the mass was treated 

 with water, and the solution added to one of ammonium carbon- 

 ate in excess, in which the precipitate at first formed was dis- 

 solved. After ten days standing, the filtrate was boiled, whereby 

 a precipitate of beryllium oxide was obtained, containing some 

 alumina and iron oxide. To purify it the beryllia was dissolved 

 in hydrochloric acid, precipitated with ammonia and digested 

 with ammonium carbonate solution, in quantity insufficient for 

 complete solution. The solution after ten days standing was 

 filtered and steam blown through it till almost all the beryllium, 

 oxide was thrown down. The last trace of iron was removed by 

 adding ammonium sulphide to the ammonium carbonate solution,, 

 allowing it to stand two days, filtering and boiling. The ignited 

 precipitate was snow-white and dissolved in hydrochloric acid 

 yielding a colorless solution. To prepare metallic beryllium the 

 authors at first heated a mixture of the oxide and metallic mag- 

 nesium in a porcelain crucible ; but the beryllium obtained was 

 contaminated strongly with silicon. They then reduced potas- 

 sium-beryllium fluoride with sodium in a steel crucible, the re- 



