39s6 Proceedings of* the British Association. 



detect whether a fossil scale be that of a fish or sau'roid animal, 

 and illustrated his position by some analyses which he had made 

 on recent crocodile and fish scales, and upon the scales found at 

 Burdiehouse. His inference was, that chemical analysis com- 

 pletely proved that the scales found at Burdiehouse were those 

 of fish, as had been already shewn to be the case, but on other 

 grounds, by Professor Jameson. He considers the animal mat- 

 ter to be replaced by a little carbonate of lime and silica. 



IS. Mr Kane described two compounds of tin and platinum, 

 formed by the action of protochloride of tin upon a solution of 

 platinum. One of these compounds consists of an atom of each 

 chloride. It deliquesces in the air ; is a dark solid substance 

 when anhydrous, and when allowed to remain in the air is con- 

 verted into an olive liquor, which is resolved into the oxides by 

 action of water. The author suggested that tin affords a good 

 test for platinum. 



14. Mr Snow Harris exhibited an apparatus, or modified 

 electrometer, for performing the experiments of Pouillet, by 

 which the insulation of the gold leaves is rendered independent 

 of the glass, by means of two rods, terminating in gilded balls. 

 To determine whether electricity is developed during the eva- 

 poration of water or any liquid, a platinum crucible, containing 

 the substance to be examined, is placed upon the cap of the 

 electrometer, having one of Deluc's small piles communicating 

 with the rods. His results were contrary to those of Pouillet. 



15. Dr Newbigging made some observations upon an experi- 

 ment which he had made with regard to the colour of arterial 

 blood. He placed some blood in a cup, containing green spots 

 on its surface. The portions opposite to these spots assumed a 

 vermilion colour, but in no other part was this change visible. 



16. Mr Hartop made a communication on the use of the air- 

 blast in the manufacture of pig-iron, in which he shewed that 

 the saving said to be effected by the use of hot air had been 

 overrated, as a considerable portion of the alleged saving had 

 been previously effected by other improved processes. The ge- 

 neral saving on the average, he stated to be no more than 10s. 

 per ton, and observed that the price of such iron in the market 

 had actually fallen from 15s. to 20s. per ton, while that from 

 cold air at the same time rose 5s. per ton in Yorkshire. This 



