188 



Scientific Intelligence — Mineralogy. 



nite idea of this enormous amount ; the aggregate is too vast, too 

 overpowering. It is scarcely to be grasped by our senses when re- 

 duced to tons, of which it corresponds with no less than 7,142,847 

 per day. 



Amount of oxygen required daily. 

 Whole population, . . . 1,000,000,000 



Animals, .... 2,000,000,000 



Combustion and fermentation, . 1,000,000,000 



4,000,000,000 



Oxygen required daily, = 8,000,000,000 lb. 

 Tons. 

 7,142,857 in a day. 

 2,609,285,714 in a year. 

 260,928,571,400 in a century. 

 15,655,714,284,000 in 6000 years. 

 Whole quantity, 1,178,158,000,000,000. 



Such being the daily requisition of oxygen in the economy of na- 

 ture, how great must be the total quantity existing in the world ! 

 Why, between one- half and two-thirds of the crust of this globe and 

 its inhabitants are composed of oxygen. This will be manifested to 

 you most conveniently by inspecting a diagram wherein the demon- 

 stration is made clear. 



Amount of oxygen in the world. 



Principles, 

 Phos. lime, 



M ) 



3^3 



7 ( 4 





Water, 



li 





Principles, 

 Water, 



Silica, 



*1 



I Oxygen is J or 



Alumina, 



1 } i 





Lime, 



fj 





Ocean and waters, 



1 





Atmosphere, 



i ) 

 MINER; 



VLOGT. 



of the globe. 



6. Wohler on the Passive State of Meteoric Iron. — Wohler 

 states that he has observed the curious fact, that the greater portion 

 of the meteoric iron he has had an opportunity of examining, is in the 

 so-called passive state ; that is to say, it does not reduce the copper 

 from a solution of the neutral sulphate of copper, but remains bright 

 and uncoppered therein. But if touched in the solution with a piece 



