FIRST ORDINARY MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION, October 16th, 1865.

J. A. PICTON, ESQ., PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed. The resignations were received and accepted of the following ordinary members :

Messrs. John Andrew, E. Harvey, J. J. Stitt, John Weightman, W. H. Grimmer, Rev. N. Loraine, Rev. H. J. Hindley, and Dr. Scholfield.

Mr. KIRKBY described the appearance presented by Faye's comet, which he had lately observed.

Dr. NEVINS exhibited a chemical novelty which has lately appeared in Paris, and has excited considerable interest there, called by the fanciful name of "Pharaoh's Serpents." They consist of a small cone; about the size of an ordinary aromatic pastile, and are made by folding tinfoil into a cone, and filling it with sulpho-cyanide of mercury. When a burning taper is applied to the apex of the cone the tinfoil melts, and the powder slowly takes fire, and burns at the rate of a common pastile. But instead of being dissipated in a thin, almost invisible vapour, the fumes which arise from it assume a solid form of extreme lightness, which is very small at first as it issues from the point of the cone, and gradually increases in diameter as the cone burns down, until at last it possesses the thickness of a person's finger. As the solid fume escapes it twists and coils in various directions, as it is forced through the apex of the tinfoil covering, and

produces at length a solid body, eighteen inches or two feet in length, of a yellow colour externally, with a tapering end like the tail of a serpent, and a thicker body and head, and coiled so as closely to resemble this animal in appearance. The chemical changes that take place are somewhat complicated. The mercury is separated by the heat, and is dissipated in vapour, whilst the sulphur takes fire and burns with its ordinary pale blue flame, producing its characteristic unpleasant odour. The cyanogen, which is the remaining ingredient, is entirely decomposed, and is converted into a compound of carbon and nitrogen (C1s N1), of the name of mellon, or mellone. This is solid, and extremely light, and constitutes the essential bulk of the serpent, but at the same time that it is formed from the cyanogen some surplus carbon is also set free. This mechanically mixes with the mellone, and imparts a black colour to what would otherwise be a dull yellow. The body of the serpent is therefore black, but the apparent skin is yellow, and this external colour is derived from the burning tinfoil. The heat of the combustion causes the thin tin to burn, and form yellow oxide of tin, better known as polishing putty, and as the mercurial compound and the tin covering happen to burn at the same rate, the black smoke of mellone and carbon is covered by a thin layer of yellow oxide of tin as fast as it is formed, and the result is the curious phenomenon described. It is said that a child of noble birth lately swallowed one of the cones on the supposition of its being a bon-bon, and the paternal Government of France has it, therefore, under consideration, whether to allow these curiosities still to be made, as the compound employed is a poisonous one.

Mr. HIGGINSON drew the attention of the Society to an extract from the Scientific Review, on the "Ventilation of Sewers," stating that a French chemist proposed to derive

from the sewers a supply of air to the furnaces of factories, thus destroying their noxious gases by combustion and supplying fresh air to the sewers; with the assertion that the plan was in use already on a small scale. Mr. Higginson was much pleased to hear such an announcement, as he had himself, many years ago, urged the very same thing before this Society, and again, in 1858, before the Social Science Association, at their meeting in Liverpool. The arguments used by him on those occasions were to the effect that, in a tidal town especially, there must be a great escape of air from the sewers, for the influx of the tide acting like a piston forced up the sewers twice a day, expelling bad air into the streets and houses wherever openings were not trapped, and thus spreading seeds of disease. Mr. Higginson believed that the moist air from the sewers would even be of benefit to the furnace fires, and that, in such towns as Liverpool, Dublin, Swansea, London, &c., where the sewer nuisance was an acknowledged fact, an advantage might be gained to the health of the community by some such plan. At the present time, when water-closets are being forced more and more into use, no mere flushing of the sewers can keep their atmosphere pure, or prevent its escape into the streets and houses, to the detriment of the susceptible. Mr. Higginson argued that the main sewers along the line of the docks should be connected with the furnaces, and that a very moderate amount of constant action would be sufficient to effect the object.

A Paper was then read by Mr. J. MCFARLANE GRAY, "On the Geometry of Wyllie and Gray's Patent Valve Motions." Mr. Gray began with the valve motion of his patent steam riveter. This he explained by drawings, and by exhibiting one of these machines. The working of this valve illustrates in a remarkable manner the high velocity of steam. The inlet to the piston of the slide valve is open for only the

three-hundredth part of a second, yet that infinitesimal portion of time is sufficient for the admission of sufficient steam to move the valve. Having the machine before the meeting, he took the opportunity of explaining the other parts of the apparatus, and pointed out the mathematical features, in the relations between time, velocity, and space, in the motions of the hammer piston of the machine. He then described the valve motions of oscillating engines as generally constructed, and introduced a new form of valve motion for oscillating engines, for reversing and for working expansively. The principle of its action was explained by geometrical diagrams. The communication also included a new expansion link, and a new arrangement of toothed gearing for valve motions.

A brief discussion followed the reading of this Paper, after which the Society adjourned.

SECOND ORDINARY MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION, October 30th, 1865.

The Rev. H. H. HIGGINS, VICE-PRESIDENT,
in the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed. The Rev. H. H. HIGGINS drew attention to the exceptional character of the past season, and suggested the advantage of putting on record any peculiar features in the appearance of animals and plants which may have been noticed by members.

Mr. J. MCFARLANE GRAY described the mode of compressing peat, which he had witnessed in Ireland.

Dr. TURNBULL exhibited some specimens of a phosphoretic mineral, lately found in North Wales, in the lower Silurian strata, and which was found useful in the manufacture of artificial manures.

A paper was then read

ON ASSOCIATED ANIMALS,

BY DR. COLLINGWOOD, Honorary Secretary.

This paper was copiously illustrated with specimens and figures, and at its conclusion a short discussion thereon took place, after which the Society adjourned.

THIRD ORDINARY MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION, November 13th, 1865.

The Rev. C. D. GINSBURG, LL.D., VICE-PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

Mr. Edward Samuelson and Dr. Hayward were balloted for, and duly elected ordinary members.

Captain Walker, of the ship "Trenton,' Trenton," was recommended by the Council for election as an Associate. The resignation of Mr. H. Fischer was received and accepted.

Mr. T. J. MOORE exhibited a number of marine specimens recently added to the Derby Museum; a collection of marine specimens from the China seas, Banka Straits, &c., made by Captain Berry, ship "Richard Cobden," Associate of the Society, who was present at