£22 Scientific Intelligence . 
the alternate action of his feet, he is enabled to advance at the 
rate of live miles an hour. 
15. Method of keeping off the Back-Water from Mills. —In 
our last Number, p. 439. we have described, after Mr Perkins, 
the contrivance for this purpose which has been used in Ame- 
rica for several years. We are informed by a learned corre- 
spondent, that it was invented by our countryman Mr Burns, 
a well known and ingenious mechanic, so far back as 1794, and 
was, to a certain extent, put in practice the following year by 
the late Mr George Meikle, mill-wrighi, on two water-wheels 
at Cartside in Renfrewshire. 
II. CHEMISTRY, 
16. On the Solution of Phosphorus in Sidphuret of Carbon. 
It is known that phosphorus is eminently soluble in sulphu- 
ret of carbon, but, as far as I know, the triple compound has 
not been investigated. I have instituted a few experiments up- 
on it. It appears to be a true triple chemical compound, and the 
term Sulpho-carburet of Phosphorus seems appropriate. The 
compound remains still fluid, with increase of density and of 
refractive power. It is altered by light. This compound fre- 
quently inflames spontaneously. Its combustion takes place at 
a temperature below 80° Fahrenheit. It bursts into flame on 
contact of a few crystals of iodine. An instantaneous flame ap- 
pears when immersed into chlorine. It diffuses through oxy- 
gen, and explodes on contact of flame. The smallest portion, 
triturated with some crystals of oxymuriate of potassa, detonate 
with great violence. A few crystals of oxymuriate of potassa, 
and a small portion of this compound, are ignited by a drop of 
sulphuric acid. When a small portion of it, on a slip of paper, 
was introduced into nitrous oxide, it exploded on contact of 
flame, and then burnt calmly ; and when a bit of copper-foil 
was moistened with it, and plunged into the same medium, 
it detonated on contact with flame, and an ignited jet burst from 
the cylinder. This fluid, on being dropped into nitrous acid, ef- 
fervesced, became transparent, surrounded by an opaque ring, 
and when removed, was opaque, solid, and crystalline. When 
in contact with nitrous acid, it is inflamed by a drop of sulphu- 
