§6 Analyses of Books, [Ja^t, 



III. An Account of some Peculiarities in tJie Structure of the 

 Organ of Hearing in the Balcena Mysticetus of Linnceus. By 

 Edward Home^ Esq. F.R.S. The most remarkable of these 

 peculiarities are the muscular structure of the membrana tym- 

 pani, its distance from the bones of the ear, and a membranous 

 ligament which connects it with the malleus. 



IV. Chemical Researches on the Bloody and some other animal 

 Fluids, By William Thomas Brande, Esq. F.R.S. In this 

 paper Mr. Brande gives an account of his experiments on chyle, 

 lymphj and blood. Chyle he found white ; it coagulated 

 spontaneously ; the coagulum resembled the curdy part of milk. 

 Wiien the serous part of chyle was evaporated, a sweet tasted 

 salt was obtained, which Mr. Brande thought similar to the 

 sugar of milk. Lymph differs but little from pure water. Mr. 

 Brande has shown that blood contains no gelatine; and he has 

 given proofs, which appear decisive, that the colouring matter 

 of blood is not iron, as the French chemists have supposed, but 

 a substance of an animal nature, which may even be employed 

 as a useful article in dyeing. 



V. Oh^ervations of a Cornet^ with Remarks on the Construction 

 of its different Paris. By William Herschel, LL.D. F.R.S. 



VI. On a gaseous Compound of Carbonic Oxide and Chlorine, 

 By John Davy, Esq. The discovery of this gas, to which Mr. 

 Davy has given the name of phosgene gas (because it is pro- 

 duced only by the action of light), is one of the beneficial 

 consequences resulting from the controversy between Mr. Davy 

 and Mr. Murray, respecting the composition of chlorine. Phos- 

 gene gas may be formed by mixing equal bulks of chlorine gas 

 and carbonic oxide gas, bofh as dry as possible, in a glass vessel 

 well exhausted, and perfectly air tight, if this mixture be 

 exposed to the light of the siio, the two gases speedily combine, 

 and are condensed into half their bulk. Even the light of day 

 is sufficient to produce the combination in about twelve hours. 

 Phosgene gas possesses the follov/ing properties : — 



1. It is colourless, has a strong and exceedingly disagreeable 

 $mell. Its specific gravity is 3*474, that of common air being 

 1*000 : 100 cubic inches of it weigh 105*97 grains. It is^ 

 therefore, the heaviest gaseous body known. When thrown into 

 the air it does not smoke. 



2. It reddens vegetable blues. 



3. It combines with ammonia, and condenses foyr times its 

 bulk of that gas. The result is a neutral salt, having a pungent 

 saline taste, deliquescing in the air, and very soluble in water. 

 Decomposed by sulphuric, nitric, and phosphoric acids, and 

 likewise by liquid muriatic acid; but sublimed, unaltered, in 

 muriatic, carbonic, and sulphurous acid gases. It dissolves 

 without effervescence in acetic acid. The products of its decom- 



