1^13.] Linncen Society, 



To- 



Speedily separates, and floats upon the surface of the liquid. By 

 this process he obtained very nearly as much alcohol as he did by 

 his fortner process of distillation. From farther experiments 

 Mr. Brande conceives, that the quantity of alcohol formerly 

 stated as existing in port wine is rather higher than the truth. 

 He now rates it at 22 per cent, by measure. One specimen of 

 port wine examined yielded only 19 per cent.; but it was very 

 weak wine. The author considers these experiments as fully 

 warranting his preceding conclusions, respecting the quality of 

 alcohol existing in wine. 



Dec. 24. A paper on arsenic, by Dr. Lambe, was read. Dr. 

 Lambe distilled a mixture of quick-lime, iron-filings, and white 

 oxide of arsenic, in a retort. He obtained a considerable quan- 

 tity of carbonic acid gas, and a gas which he calls nitrous car- 

 bonic oxide. It was inflammable, and, according to him, con- 

 tained azote, carbon, and oxygen. He obtained likewise abund- 

 ance of carbonic acid gas, when a mixture of quick-lime (which 

 did not effervesce with muriatic acid) and white arsenic was dis- 

 tilled. We regret that Dr. Lambe did not in these experiments 

 ascertain the purity of the white oxide of arsenic which he em- 

 ployed. The want of attention to this circumstance leaves us at 

 a loss to account for the production of carbonic acid gas which 

 he obtained. 



LINN^AN SOCIETY. 



The last three meetings of the Linnaean Society were chiefly 

 employed in hearing read a monography of the genus calliirichey 

 by Mr. Schmaltz. 



The paper was in English, of considerable length, and gave a 

 very minute account of this genus, together with an elaborate 

 historical detail of the labours of former botanists, and an ample 

 account of every thing relating to the mode of growth, economy, 

 and uses of this genus of plants, which, it is well known, grovvin 

 water, frequently cover the surface of lakes, and are sometimes 

 so matted together, that if we believe Linnjieus, it is possible to 

 walk over the surface of the water without being wetted. Ac- 

 cording to Mr. Schmaltz there are six species of caliitriche 

 peculiar to the old continent; eight belong to the new; and there 

 are two species found both in the old and new continents. 



A paper by Mr. Sowerby was likewise read, giving an ac- 

 count of a new cleavage, which he had observed in calcareous 

 spar ; namely, a cleavage corresponding to the diagonal of the 

 rhomboid, which constitutes the primitive form of calcareous 

 spar. Mr. Sowerby probably was not aware, that this cleavage 

 had been already noticed and described by preceding writers on 

 the subject. If we remember right, for it is not in our power at 

 present to consult the original paper, it is noticed by Mohs, in a 

 I paper in which he describes no fewer than 14 different cleavages 

 which he had observed in calcareous spar, 



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