$S Analyses of Booh, ' [Jan, 



ment had been urged as an objection to the theory of crystaUiza- 

 tion as delivered by Haliy. Dr. Wollaston^ by means of his 

 very ingenious and valuable gonionfieter, has ascertained that the 

 primitive figures of these three bodies, though nearly similar, 

 ditFer somewhat in the measurement of the angles of each. The 



angle of carbonate of lime is 105° 5' 



bitter spar lOG 15 



carbonate of iron 10/ 



IX. Observations intended to slioiu that the Progressive Motion 

 of Snakes is partly perforined ly means of the Ribs. By Everard 

 Home^ Esq. F.R.S. Sir Everard Home in this paper describes 

 the progressive motion of serpents, which is performed by means 

 of the ribs, which act as feet. The j^aper is interesting, as it 

 makes us acquainted with a new species of progressive motion 

 never before suspected. 



X. An Account of some Experiments on the Combinations of 

 different Metals and Chlorine, &c. By John Davy, Esq. In a 

 science entirely dependent on experiment^ and of so vast an 

 extent as chemistry, every new view is attended with consider- 

 able advantage, by leading to experiments upon substances that 

 had formerly been neglected. Sir Humphry Davy^s new opi- 

 nion respecting the nature of chlorine, affords a striking example 

 of this. While this substance was considered as a compound of 

 muriatic acid and oxygen, the effects of it upon other bodies 

 "Were easily deduced theoretically. Hence few attempts were 

 made to examine them. But when it came to be considered as 

 a simple substance, the case was very different. The compounds 

 which it formed would probably be new, and they merited exa- 

 mination. Mr. Davy was induced to make his experiments in 

 consequence of these views ; and in this paper he has made us 

 acquainted with many substances, some of which are new, while 

 others had been already known under other names. Sir Hum- 

 phry Davy's opinion respecting the nature of chlorine, is, vire 

 presume, known to most of our readers. He considers it as an 

 tindecompounded substance, and as analogous to oxygen in many 

 of its properties. Like it, chlorine is a supporter of combus- 

 tion, and capable of combining with the metals, and most of 

 the simple combustibles. United to hydrogen, it forms muriatic 

 acid; combined with sulphur and phosphorus, it forms volatile 

 liquids, to which the names of sulphurane and phosphurane 

 have been given by Sir Humphry Davy. With carbon it does 

 cot combine ; but it unites with carbonic oxide, and forms the 

 singular acid substance discovered by Mr. Davy, and called by 

 him phosgene gas. With some metals it unites in two propor- 

 tions ; with others in one. These combinations are denoted by 

 Sir Humphry Davy by changing the Latin termination of the 

 metal into ane for the first compound, and into anea for thtfe 



