the most striking peculiarities, from which some idea may be gathered of the importance of this performance. Besides four grinding teeth, one at each end of the two jaws, the animal has two small pointed horny teeth upon the projecting part of the posterior portion of the tongue, the points of which are directed forwards. These, it is thought, are intended to prevent the food from being pushed into the fauces during the process of mastication; and such have as yet been observed in no animal except the flamingo, which has a row of similar small teeth at each side of the tongue. The fifth pair of nerves, which supplies the muscles of the face, and extend to the membrane that covers the bills, were found uncommonly large; whence it is inferred that probably the sensibility of the different parts of this bill is very great, and that being capable of nice discrimination in its feeling, it answers in some respects the purposes of a hand. A striking peculiarity is observed in the structure of the bones of the chest. The scapula, which are of an uncommon shape, are not connected with the chest, but with a bone placed above the sternum, the upper part of which answers the purpose of clavicles. The cartilages also of the ribs are not placed next the sternum but between two portions, and about the middle of each rib: and the false ribs have their cartilages terminated by thin bony scales, which slide on one another in the motions of the chest. From this singular construction, it appears that the capacity of the chest can undergo a very considerable degree of contraction and dilatation. On each of the hind legs of the male, at the setting on of the heel, is a crooked, strong, sharp-pointed spur, which is retractile, but may be considerably extended. Its use is conjectured to be the confining the female in the act of copulation: but in nothing, perhaps, does this animal differ more from the other quadrupeds than in the parts of generation. Externally there is no appearance of these organs in either sex, the orifice of the anus being a common opening to the rectum and prepuce in the male, and to the rectum and vagina in the female. The testicles are situated in the cavity of the abdomen, the glans penis is double, one part being directed to the right and the other to the left. The female has no regularly formed uterus, but towards the end of the vagina are two openings, each leading into a cavity resembling the horn of the uterus in quadrupeds, but terminating in a fallopian tube, which opens into the capsule of an ovarium. From various circumstances attending this singular configuration, and from some analogy it bears to the similar organ in birds, our author is inclined to believe that this animal will be found to be oviparous in its mode of generation. On the Independence of the analytical and geometrical Methods of Investigation; and on the Advantages to be derived from their Separation. By Robert Woodhouse, A.M. Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge. Communicated by Joseph Planta, Esq. Sec. R.S. Read January 14, 1802. [Phil. Trans. 1802, p. 85.] The author, in the prefatory part of this paper, points out the difference between the two methods of solving problems,—the one using lines and diagrams as the signs of quantity, and making an individual to represent a genus; and the other employing generic terms and signs, which bear no resemblance to the things signified: and insists that, in order to make the process of deduction distinct, exact, and luminous, only one of the two methods ought to be adhered to. This, he says, has not been sufficiently attended to, expressions and formulas of the two methods having often been blended together, the consequence of which has been much ambiguity and paradox; since the true method of combining algebraical formulas cannot be well understood, unless we duly attend to their true analytical source and combination. To show that the language of algebra need not be infected with the mode of expression adopted by geometricians, and that it is of itself an adequate instrument of argumentation, is the principal object of Mr. Woodhouse's paper. And he declares that he has entered on this inquiry, not merely for the sake of gratifying speculative curiosity, being firmly of opinion that the process of calculation will be much more direct, sure, and expeditious, if it be duly freed from all foreign encumbrances. In order to illustrate and confirm this opinion, he has selected a few cases from those expressions and formulas which are supposed to require for their solution the aid of geometrical theorems, and of the properties of curves. From purely analytical principles he has given demonstrations; 1st, of the integrals of a series for the sine of an arc in terms of the arc; 2ndly, of the expression for the root of a cubic equation in the irreducible case; 3rdly, of the resolution of the series "a", &c., into quadratic factors; and, 4thly, of the series for the chord, sine, cosine, &c. of a multiple arc, in terms of the chord, sine, &c. of the simple arc. These demonstrations the author presumes to be direct and rigorous, which advantages, he asserts, are in a great measure owing to the deductions being expressed in algebraical language, and effected throughout by analytical processes. The paper concludes with a brief comparison of the ancient geometry and modern analysis respecting the advantages of perspicuity and commodious calculation. The result of this comparison is, that some of the excellencies of the former science have been exaggerated, and others deemed essential, which in fact are only accidental. If the object of mathematical study be chiefly recreation, and the exercise of our mental faculties, our author admits that the finest examples of reasoning are to be found in the works of the ancient geometricians; but he further insists that, for the investigation of abstruse and latent truth, and the evolution of intricate problems, the analytical method is on every consideration to be preferred to the geometrical. Observations and Experiments upon oxygenized and hyperoxygenized Muriatic Acid; and upon some Combinations of the Muriatic Acid in its three States. By Richard Chenevix, Esq. F.R.S. and M.R.I.A. Read January 28, 1802. [Phil. Trans. 1802, p. 126.] The author introduces the subject of his paper by stating that Mr. Berthollet, having observed a large portion of common muriate of potash to be always produced along with the hyperoxygenized muriate, had formed an ingenious conjecture, that the quantity of oxygen, relatively to the acid, was greater in the salt than in disengaged oxygenized muriatic acid; but that no experiments having appeared since the year 1788 to prove this assertion, he was induced to examine the properties of the salt, and the nature of the acid it contains. He next mentions such authors as have treated any part of his subject; and intimates that Mr. Hoyle of Manchester appears to him to be the chemist, who, after Mr. Berthollet, has approached nearest to the truth. He then proceeds to describe the means by which he has determined that the acid contained in his hyperoxygenized muriate of potash is, in fact, an acid sui generis; and those by which he arrived at the proportion of oxygen. After which he treats of the saline combinations of oxygenized and hyperoxygenized muriatic acids. To determine the proportion of oxygen in hyperoxygenized muriatic acid, he distilled one hundred grains of hyperoxygenized muriate of potash in a coated glass retort, and collected one hundred and twelve cubic inches of oxygen gas, = 383 grains. He then precipitated by nitrate of silver the salt which remained in the retort, and a small portion of it that had been volatilized into the tube, and obtained a quantity of muriate of silver, corresponding with twenty of muriatic acid; and hence he concluded that one hundred parts of hyperoxygenized muriatic acid contained, Oxygen 65 35 100 He then passed a current of oxygenized muriatic acid through a solution of potash, and distilled the liquor to dryness in an apparatus, by which he could ascertain whether there was any disengagement or absorption of oxygen from the liquor or from the salt it held in solution. No oxygen was disengaged or absorbed; and hence it appears that the same quantity was now condensed in the hyperoxygenized muriate of potash as was originally contained in a relative quantity of oxygenized muriatic acid. The salt thus obtained, Mr. Chenevix, for the sake of brevity, calls entire salt. He analysed it, and found it to contain common muriate of potash 84, hyperoxygenized muriate 16. But by the proportions established above, 16 hyperoxygenized muriate contain 6 of oxygen, and this, with the acid contained in the whole 100 of entire salt, gives the proportions, Oxygen... 16 84 100 These proportions differ a little from those obtained by Mr. Berthollet and by Mr. Cruikshank; the former mentions 11 per cent. of oxygen, the latter 43. But Mr. Berthollet, in all probability, used an acid which already contained a little simple muriatic acid, or else he did not expel all the oxygen from his oxygenized muriatic acid by the light of the sun. And Mr. Cruikshank having made use of hyperoxygenized muriate of potash and muriatic acid, to obtain that which he examined, the result was a mixture of oxygenized and hyperoxygenized muriatic acid gases. Having stated the proportions of the acids, the author passes on to the examination of the salts. Oxygenized muriates are decomposed at the very moment of their formation, and are resolved into common muriates and hyperoxygenized muriates. To prove this, Mr. Chenevix asserts that he always obtained the same proportion of muriate of silver, by pouring some nitrate of that metal into the recent liquor of the entire salt, as into some that he had evaporated. But he concludes that the acid does really come into contact with the alkali, and unite with it, in the state of oxygenized muriatic acid, because ammonia is decomposed by a current of that acid; and ammonia (as is afterwards proved) is not decomposed either by common or by hyperoxygenized muriatic acid. From this experiment he concludes also, that hyperoxygenized muriatic acid has a much greater affinity than oxygenized muriatic acid to the salifiable bases. Mr. Chenevix then passes to the examination of the hyperoxygenized muriates. These are all formed by the resolution of the elements of oxygenized muriates into common muriates and hyperoxygenized muriates. They have properties that characterize them fully. The acid is expelled by all acids, except the benzoic, acetic, acetous, boracic, prussic, and carbonic; and the order of affinity of the salifiable alkaline and earthy bases is potash, soda, barytes, strontia, lime, ammonia, magnesia, alumina, and silica. The first species is, therefore, hyperoxygenized muriate of potash, which the author thinks can exist in two states. It was from this salt chiefly that he attempted to disengage the acid. If sulphuric acid be poured upon it, a crackling noise is heard, and an orange-coloured liquor, with greenish yellow fumes, is disengaged; but the acid cannot thus be obtained pure, as the heat necessary to bring it over is sufficient to decompose it. In attempting to distil this mixture a violent explosion ensued as soon as heat was applied. As a caution to those who would repeat the experiment, Mr. Chenevix describes an accident which happened to Dr. Vandier, by which that gentle man was dreadfully wounded, and was near losing his sight: by dropping the salt into sulphuric acid there is less danger of explosion at the beginning; but still the acid does not come over without decomposition. By cooling the first receiver with ice, the author thinks that he has obtained the acid in the form of little orange-coloured octahedral crystals. Nitric acid produces nearly the same phænomena. Muriatic acid decomposes the salt, and takes a part of the oxygen from the hyperoxygenized muriatic acid, and becomes oxygenized. Phosphoric, tartareous, oxalic, arsenic, and citric acids decompose this salt with the help of heat. Some attempts were made to combine diamond with oxygen, in the humid way, by means of this salt and this acid; but they did not prove successful. Caloric is mentioned as a considerable ingredient in this as in all hyperoxygenized muriates. The proportions of the salt are, Hyperoxygenized muriatic acid Potash Water 100.0 The second species is hyperoxygenized muriate of soda. This salt Mr. Chenevix obtained pure by crystallizing in alcohol. It is decomposed by the same agents as the former species. It is deliquescent. Its proportions are, Hyperoxygenized muriatic acid Soda 66.2 29.6 4.2 100.0 A distinguishing character of the earthy hyperoxygenized muriates is their resemblance to their respective muriates, in point of solubility. The author at first despaired of being able to separate them from the muriates which accompany their formation; but phosphate of silver afforded him the means. Phosphate of silver decomposes all simple muriates, and the hyperoxygenized muriates remain alone in solution. It was thus he obtained them pure enough for analysis. He found the following proportions in each salt: Third species. Hyperoxygenized muriate of barytes. Barytes Water. 47.0 42.2 10.8 100.0 46 26 28 100 Fourth species. Hyperoxygenized muriate of strontia. Hyperoxygenized muriatic acid....... Strontia Water. |