DETECTION  OF  NITRIC  ACID  IN  POTABLE  WATER.  83 
apice  biporosae,  dorso  medium  versus  amxge  j  antherae  staminum 
trium  longiorum  late  ellipticae,  birimosae,  introrsum  dehiscentes, 
basi  affixae;  antherae  stamiaum  trium  brevissimoruai  biriniosae, 
tribus  supradescriptis  haud  dissimiles  sed  valde  minores.  Ovarium 
longe  stipitatum,  lineare,  adscendens,  faleiforme,  margine  superiore 
basin  versus  parce  pilosum,  aliter  glabrum.  Stigma  oblique 
truncatum.  Legumen  cylindricum,  rectum,  l-l£-pedale,  lignosum, 
durum5  laeve,  corticatum,  breviter  apiculatum  vel  obtusum,  septis 
transversis  numerosis  ut  in  Cassise  Fistulx,  L.  legumine  (cui 
simillimum)  instructura.  Semina  ovato-rotundata,  compressa, 
nitida,  durissima,  3  lineas  longa,  colons  cinnamomei,  in  succo 
saccharino  adstringente  immersa. 
Cassia  moschata,  as  remarked  by  the  authors  of  the  <  Nova 
Genera  et  Species,'  as  well  as  by  Mr.  Sutton  Hayes,  is  nearly 
allied  to  (7.  brasiliana,  Lam.,  but  it  is  easily  distinguished  from 
that  plant  by  its  comparatively  glabrous  yellow  flowers  and  it3 
totally  different  legumes.  These  legumes  are  stated  by  both 
Mr.  Hayes  and  M.  Triana  to  be  used  in  medicine  in  New 
Granada  instead  of  those  of  C.  Fistula,  L. ;  so  that  their  occa- 
sional appearance  in  European  commerce  is  not  surprising. 
They  differ  from  the  latter  by  their  smaller  size,  less  regularly 
straight  and  cylindrical  form,  and  especially  by  their  paler  and 
less  saccharine  pulp,  which,  when  fresh,  is  stated  to  have  a 
slightly  musky  odor.  These  characters  are  of  but  little  value 
botanically ;  the  leaves,  however,  of  0.  moschata,  its  shorter 
racemes  and  nearly  glabrous  ovary,  amply  suffice  to  distinguish 
it  from  0.  Fistula,  L. — Trans.  Linnceus  Society,  vol,  xxiv. 
DETECTION  OF  NITRIC  ACID  IN  POTABLE  WATER  BY 
MEANS  OF  BRUCINE. 
By  R.  Kersting.* 
The  author  makes  a  solution  of  one  part  of  brucine  in  1000 
parts  of  water.    He  pours  a  cubic  centimetre  of  this  solution 
into  a  glass,  and  adds  a  cubic  centimetre  of  the  water  under  ex- 
amination for  nitric  acid ;  he  then  pours  very  slowly  down  the 
side  of  the  glass  a  cubic  centimetre  of  sulphuric  acid,  so  that 
the  acid  may  form  a  layer  at  the  bottom  of  the  glass.    Then,  if 
nitrates  are  present  in  water,  a  zone  of  rose-color  appears  on 
*  Annalen  der  Chem.  und  Pharm.,  bd.,  cxxv.,  s.,  254. 
