the cave, becomes stronger and stronger, till it can only be compared to hundreds of glow-worms lying close together on the ground; and it is singular that, however strong this light may be, it does not assume the appearance of a sheet, but always seems to lie in spots, though close together. On taking up some of the mould on which this phosphorescence appears to rest, and bringing it to daylight, its own light (as

the answers this dispatch may require, the necessary measures have been taken to cause them to arrive one after the other in a certain order, so as to avoid, at the same time, confusion and loss of time. One of the wires only has been hitherto employed along the whole line; the other, at present, has its second battery at Utica.

COD-LIVER OIL.

BY M. A. BOUDARD.

I we mix sulphuric acid with pure cod-liver oil, it produces a chesnut-brown colour.

If the oil is adulterated, the same colour is produced, and perhaps of a deeper tint. Finally, with fish-oil, alone, we produce a brownish-yellow tint

might be expected) is overcome and disap- TO ASCERTAIN THE PURITY OF pears, nothing being seen in the hand but black earth, a little sand, some minute whitish cryptogamic powder, and a few fronds of a very small filmy moss of a pale transparent green colour. On taking the mould again into the darkness, the light reappears; but so much dimmed, that it appears as if the slightest disturbance had a tendency to dissipate it. The traditions of the country have long pointed at this mountain as the repository of gold and silver and precious stones, and as the abode of evil spirits or Kobolds, who amuse themselves by tantalising credulous mortals with the sight of gems and riches without end, which, when touched, are turned into dross, or vanish from the sight. The explanation given by this phenomenon to such a belief, current among a simple and imaginative people, is evident. The original name of the mountain itself, Luchsberg, i. e. Lynxberg, is somewhat expressive of this splendid peculiarity."

Under these circumstances, I concluded that sulphuric acid did not give sufficiently marked results to enable us to determine the purity of cod-liver oil.

In the case of the pure oil fuming, nitric acid, is poured in drop by drop, is almost instantly surrounded by a reddish aureola, which circumscribes each drop, and in a few seconds becomes of a beautiful rose colour.

If the cod-liver oil has been mixed with its own weight of fish oil, the rose colour is not apparent, but the transparence of the oil is slightly clouded.

With fish oil, alone, nitric acid produces no discolouration, and not the least cloudi

ness.

[The editor of the Journal de Chimie Medicale observes, that having made trial of the above plan, the results appeared to him to be unsatisfactory.]

AMERICAN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. Ar a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences, on the 12th of October last, M. Arago read, from a letter of M. Morse, several details respecting the electric telegraph which has been recently established by a private company between New York and Buffalo. The metallic conductors that transmit the electric current without interruption from the ocean to Lake Erie, extend over the space GUN-COTTON.-In the January number of of 507 English miles, communicating with The Chemist will appear a complete sumthe stations at Troy, Albany, Utica, Syra-mary of the history of gun-cotton, containcuse, Auburn, and Rochester.

There are two circuits, each consisting of a single wire, throughout the whole distance; this wire is of copper, and weighs 100 lbs. per mile; it is insulated from the pillars by means of large glass knobs; with this exception it is unprotected by any kind of varnish or insulating covering. The return of the current takes place by the same wire. A pile is established at each extremity of the line, the intermediate stations merely having a signal apparatus. A dispatch leaving New York is transmitted, at the same time, to all the stations previously noticed. As to

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

ing a full account of the experiments made by order of the French government, and also the result of individual experience. At present, the subject is hardly sufficiently

understood to arrive at just conclusions.

Volume VII. will be ready in a few days.

NOTICE.-All Communications and Books for Review must be addressed "To the Publisher of THE CHEMIST, 310, Strand, London." Communications must be prepaid, and sent before the 15th of each month, Books for Review before the 10th.