Schorlomite, a Variety of Melanite. By G. A. KÖNIG (Zeit. Kryst. Min., 13, 650, from Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad., 1886, 355).—— Melanite, from California, containing titanium, and occurring as black masses in a greenish-yellow matrix, gave on analysis the following results (I) : SiO. TiO. TiO3. Al2O3. FeO3. CaO. MgO. CO. MnO. Total. 32:41 0:30 3:36 99.47 1.22 0.46 99-98 For comparison, the results (II) are given of an analysis of black schorlomite from Magnet Cove, Arkansas. The ratio of the constituents of the melanite (I) and of the schorlomite (II) is : (SiTi)O (FeTiAl)O, (CaMgMn)O. : These results appear to support the theory that schorlomite is a garnet in which titanium, in the form of TiO3, is substituted for aluminium. B. H. B. Tin-ore Deposits of Mount Bischoff. By A. v. GRODDECK (Zeit. Kryst. Min., 13, 636, from Zeit. deutsch. geol. Ges., 38, 370).-The author comes to the conclusion that, like the topaz rock of the Schneckenstein in Saxony, the rock of the tin-ore district of Mount Bischoff in Tasmania is a quartz porphyry converted into topaz. This alteration probably occurred during the formation of the tin-ore deposits. This theory is supported by the discovery of pseudomorphs of topaz after quartz. The interior of the crystals consisted of colourless quartz, whilst the exterior consisted of a dull white massive envelope of topaz, which gave on analysis the following results: SiO2. Al2O3. 56.32 35.91 F. 10.68 CaO. SnO2. Total. 105.36 or, in other words, 63-21 per cent. of topaz, 35-39 per cent. of quartz, and 2:42 per cent. of tin oxide (compare Abstr., 1886, 603). B. H. B. Volcanic Blocks of Monte Somma. By B. MIERISCH (Zeit. Kryst. Min., 13, 627-628, from Tschermak's min. Mitth., 8, 113).-In the cavities of blocks of altered limestone, the author found grains of a colourless mineral hitherto supposed to be quartz. Analysis gave the following results: SiO. 41.85 MgO. FeO. Na O. KO. Ignition. Total. 1.07 0.12 0.40 The mineral is obviously forsterite. It occurs in association with spinell and calcite. The occurrence of a silicate free from lime in a limestone block is remarkable. In silicate blocks, especially in one composed principally of augite and melilite, the author found a colourless mineral occurring in thin acicular crystals. It belongs to the nepheline group. It is optically monaxial, negative, exhibits basal cleavage, is very brittle, and has a sp. gr. of 2.602. Analysis gave the following results: SiO2. 37.44 Al2O3 + Fe2O3. CaO. K2O. Na2O. Total. The mineral is thus a potassium-nepheline, K,AlSi2Os, for which the author proposes the name of kaliophilite. B. H. B. : Selenium in Meteoric Iron. By H. N. WARREN (Chem. News, 57, 16). Results are given below of the analysis of specimens of meteoric iron 1 and 2 from Bohumilitz; 3, Pallus iron; 4, Elbogen ; 5 and 6, Atacama Desert. In the method employed, 10 grams of the roughly-powdered specimen is mixed with sufficient flowers of sulphur, and heated to redness in a tube in a current of oxygen, the products of combustion passing into a series of bulbs containing distilled water, where the selenious acid is reduced by the sulphurous acid. The solution with the selenium precipitate is heated at 27°, and ultimately the latter is dried in an air-bath and weighed. each case, a blank experiment was made with the sulphur employed. In Water from the Tönnissteiner Medicinal Spring. By B. LEPSIUS (Ber., 21, 552–556).—This water contains a large excess of carbonic acid, and has an alkaline chaly beate taste; on analysis, the following results were obtained, which, when compared with a former analysis by Fresenius, show that the composition has remained practically unaltered for the last 20 years. F. S. K. Organic Chemistry. Decomposition of Petroleum by Heat. By K. LISSENKO (Dingl. polyt. J., 266, 226, from J. Berg u. Huttenwesen, 1887, 349).—When petroleum is subjected to distillation, it is not only split up into constituents having different boiling points, but the high boiling products are decomposed into those of a lower boiling point. The yield of the latter increases with the time of heating, and in this manner the quantity of kerosine from Caucasian petroleum, which usually does not exceed 30 per cent., may be doubled. The best yield of kerosene is obtained from petroleum residues at a temperature of 434° to 501°. Nobel, however, found that the decomposition of the residues is best effected at 400°. D. B. Action of Bromine on Iodoform. By K. LÖSCHER (Ber., 21, 410). By the action of bromine on iodoform, bromoform alone is obtained, and this, whether the bromine is employed in small quantity or in excess. The substance described by Serullas (Ann. Chim. Phys. [2], 34, 225, and 39, 97), and by Bouchardat (Annalen, 22, 233) as bromiodoform, is merely a solution of iodoform in bromoform. A. J. G. Action of Zinc Ethyl on Nitroethane. By J. KISSEL (J. Russ. Chem. Soc., 1887, 109-113).-In order to test the accuracy of the view he formerly expressed, that nitroethane is a compound of the constitution CH, CÓ NH·OH (Abstr., 1885, 364), the author has studied the action of zinc ethyl on nitroethane. After several days' action at 0° in a sealed tube the mixture becomes solid, and when the tube is opened an inflammable mixture of gases escapes which is free from ethylene. The contents of the tube consist of a mixture of two compounds at least, of which one is crystalline and the other amorphous. The crystalline compound is decomposed by water containing a little sulphuric acid, and the nitroethane removed by evaporation, the liquid neutralised, and the zinc precipitated by sodium carbonate; on adding potash and distilling, a liquid boiling at 126-133° passes over. On neutralising this with hydrochloric acid, it yields the hydrochloride of a substituted hydroxylamine, NHEt2O,HCl. Another compound of similar composition is found among the numerous products formed in the reaction. B. B. Isobutylene Bromide and Bromotrimethyl Carbinol. By I. GUARESCHI and L. GARZINO (Chem. Centr., 1887, 1343-1344, from Ann. Chim. Farm., 87, 101-112).-The moderately stable barium isobutylenedisulphonate, CH(SO)Ba + 2H2O, was prepared by boiling 25 grams of isobutylene bromide with a saturated solution of The ammonium sulphite for 9 to 12 hours, then boiling with an excess of baryta-water, precipitating the uncombined barium with carbonic anhydride, and treating the concentrated filtrate with 95 per cent. alcohol. The free acid has not been crystallised. If the filtrate from this barium salt is evaporated to drive off the alcohol, and again treated with absolute alcohol, barium y-hydroxyisobutylenesulphonate, (OH-C,H, SO3)2 Ba + 14H2O, and barium chloride separate. formula OH CMe2 CH2 SO2H, has been given to the acid. The alcoholic filtrate from the last barium salt contains still another salt containing the same amount of barium. Isobutaldehyde is also formed by this reaction. If 30 grams of bromotrimethylmethane, CMe, Br, is boiled with 150 c.c. of a saturated solution of ammonium sulphite, an inflammable gas (isobutylene ?), trimethyl carbinol, boiling at 80.5° to 81.5°, and trimethylmethanesulphonic acid are produced. By simply boiling the bromide with 3 parts of water, isobutane and trimethyl carbinol are formed. When bromo-y-isobutane is boiled for five hours with 5 parts of water, isobutaldehyde and monobromotrimethyl carbinol, CH,Br CMe, OH, are formed. The latter is a liquid boiling at 138-140°, of sp. gr. 1'429 at 0°, insoluble in water, but soluble in ether. J. P. L. Compounds of Sodium Hydroxide and Methyl Alcohol. By C. GÖTTIG (Ber., 21, 561—565).—When a methyl alcohol solution of soda is evaporated to a certain consistency, it solidifies to a crystalline mass on cooling; this compound, after drying, behaves similarly to those obtained from ethyl alcohol and soda or potash; namely, when agitated with water or some other liquids, it moves about on the surface, decomposes, and dissolves. The composition of the compound formed varies with the conditions of its formation. (1.) If anhydrous methyl alcohol is employed and all moisture carefully excluded, the composition of the substance formed is 5NaOH,6MeOH, when crystallisation is allowed to proceed slowly. (2.) When a little water is present, the composition is NaOH, H2O,MeOH. (3.) The composition varies when a considerable quantity of water is present, and seems to depend chiefly on the specific gravity of the solidifying solution, and on the relation between the quantities of water and alcohol. Methyl alcohol also forms compounds with potash, and many other alcohols combine with potash and soda in a similar manner. F. S. K. Specific Gravities of Aqueous Glycerol Solutions. By W. W. J. NICOL (Pharm. J. Trans. [3], 18, 302).-The following are determinations of the specific gravity at 20° of definite mixtures of glycerol and water: VOL. LIV. 2 J A table calculated from these results for intermediate percentages is given in the paper. R. R. Action of Boiling Acids on Methylenitan. By C. WEHMER and B. TOLLENS (Annalen, 243, 334-342).-The authors maintain that the so-called formose which Loew obtained (this vol., p. 245) by the action of lime on formaldehyde is not a true carbohydrate, as it does not yield levulinic acid when heated with hydrochloric or sulphuric acid. W. C. W. Levulose. By H. WINTER (Chem. Centr., 1887, 1373-1374, from Zeit. Rüb. Zuck. Ind., 24, 796-820).-The specific rotatory power of a 20 per cent. solution of levulose is -714 at 20°. The discrepancies between the old and new values for the specific rotatory power of levulose cannot be attributed to the manner or source of production, inasmuch as they are found to have no influence. Alcohol diminishes the rotatory power of levulose in a marked degree, but increases that of dextrose; the former phenomenon may probably be accounted for by the fact that levulose forms an alcoholate of the formula C.H,EtO. The specific rotatory power of anhydrous levulose in absolute alcohol is -47° for a concentration of 7.78 per cent. As a mixture of equal parts of levulose and dextrose does not exhibit the optical properties of invert sugar, it is possible that the latter consists of four parts of levulose to three of dextrose. Levulose and dextrose in the proportion of two parts of the former to one of the latter form a well-defined crystalline product, which in solution exhibits no trace of birotation similar to that which exists in the case of a mechanical mixture in the same proportions. On account of the existence of this compound, a complete separation of the two sugars by means of alcohol is impossible. An acetyl compound of levulose could not be obtained. Compounds of levulose with lime, lead oxide, chloride, and nitrate, iron and bismuth nitrate, were obtained. J. P. L. Irisin. By O. WALLACH (Ber., 21, 396-397).-Ekstrand and Johanson recently described a carbohydrate from Phleum pratense, |