66 Proceedings of Eoyal Society of Edinburgh. [dec. 19, 
length, and 18 mm. (0’7 inch) in its greatest transverse diameter; in 
another it was 29 mm. long, 13 mm. broad, and 13 mm. in vertical 
diameter. It rested on the superior vermiform process of the 
cerebellum, and was visible between the two diverging hemispheres 
of the cerebrum when the brain was looked at from above. [The 
paper is printed in extenso in the Journal of Anatomy and Phy 
siology, January 1888, and as a part of the “Eeport on the Seals ” 
collected by H.M.S. “ Challenger,” Part LXYIIL, 1888.] 
3. On a Method of graphically recording the exact Time 
Relations of Cardiac Sounds and Murmurs. By 
Byrom Bramwell, Esq., M.D., and R. Milne Murray, 
Esq., M.B. 
(Printed in full in Brit. Med. Journal, Jan. 7, 1888.) 
4. On Benzyl Phosphines. By Professor E. A. Letts and 
W. Wheeler, Esq. 
The phosphines have, comparatively speaking, been little studied, 
and most of our information concerning them is due to the investiga- 
tions of only two or three observers. There are consequently many 
points in their history which require examination, and the object 
we had in making the present research was to extend our knowledge 
of them as a group. We experimented in the benzyl series for 
several reasons, among which we may mention the following : — 
Monohenzyl phosphine is a liquid at ordinary temperatures, 
whereas the corresponding methyl and ethyl derivatives are gase'ous, 
hence it is more easily worked with than the latter. Then, again, 
benzyl derivatives have, as a class, considerable chemical activity ; 
and lastly, one of us in conjunction with another chemist had 
already studied somewhat exhaustively the quaternary phosphorised 
compounds which this radical forms.* 
Hofmann f was the first to obtain mono- and di-henzyl phosphine, 
by heating a mixture of chloride of benzyl, phosphonium iodide, and 
oxide of zinc in sealed tubes. He apparently submitted them to a 
somewhat cursory examination, and only determined their leading 
* Letts and Collie, Trans. Boy. Soc. Edin. 
t Hofmann, Ber. d. d. Chem. Ges. 
