2.36 dried in bibulous paper and afterwards over sulphuric acid, lost on heating 0.46 = 19.49. The formula Na I + 4 H O requires 19.44. Iodide of cadmium and iodide of sodium were mixed in equal equivalents, and evaporated over sulphuric acid. The double salt separated in long brilliant prisms, which deliquesce very rapidly in a moderately damp atmosphere; they appeared to be four-sided prisms, but owing to their rapid deliquescence their form could not be accurately determined. 1.0285 grammes dried in bibulous paper gave : Water.. Sulphide of cadmium... Iodide of silver ...... 0.1450 01950 1.2400 Sulphate of soda......... 0.2218 = 1.4844 grammes gave: 14.09 14.74 cadmium. 65.14 iodine. 6.98 sodium. Sulphate of soda......... 0.2783 = 6.06 sodium. These numbers lead to the formula Na I + Cd I + 6 H 0. Cadmio-iodide of Ammonium.-Iodide of ammonium, obtained by digesting iodine with hydrosulphide of ammonium was mixed with iodide of cadmium, in the proportion of equal equivalents; the solution on evaporation over sulphuric acid to a very small bulk, gave crystals similar in appearance to those of the potassium compound, remaining unchanged in a tolerably dry atmosphere. Heated in a tube it fuses and loses a considerable quantity of water. 1.7625 grms. gave Sulphide of Cadmium 0.3685 = 16.26 Cadmium. Iodide of Silver........ 2.3775 = 72.66 Iodine. These numbers lead to the formula NH4 I+Cd I+2 HO. Cadmio-iodide of Barium. Iodide of Barium mixed in the same proportions with iodide of cadmium gave a mass of crystals which deliquesced so rapidly that it was impossible to examine their form. 2,281 grms dried in bibulous paper and weighed as quickly as pos These numbers lead to the formula Ba I+Cd I+5 HO. Cadmio-iodide of Strontium was obtained in the same manner. It crystalizes in large clear crystals efflorescent in very dry, but deliquescent in a moderately damp atmosphere. When heated it easily loses iodine, and absorbs carbonic acid. Owing to this circumstance the quantity of water in the following is rather too large, and of the iodine too small. Iodide of Silver..........1.9370 = 57.80 Iodine. These numbers lead to the formula Sr I+ Cd I+8 HO. Owing to the small quantity of salt in my possession the crystals could not be obtained quite free from all admixture, and the analysis does not agree very perfectly with the calculation, but sufficiently so to establish the formula. From these experiments we may conclude that Iodide of Cadmium combines with alkalic and earthy iodides in the proportion of equal equivalents; the formula of the new compounds just described being as follows: KI+Cd I+2 HO Sr I+Cd I+8 HO In this respect they partly correspond with, and partly differ from, the Zinco-iodides described by Rammelsberg in Poggendorff's Annalen, B. 43; the formulæ of which are as follows: KI+2 Zn I Na I+Zn I+3 HO Ba 1+2 Zn I In analyzing the above mentioned cadmio-iodides, the iodine was first precipitated by nitrate of silver, the excess of silver separated by hydrochloric acid, and the cadmium precipitated by sulphuretted hydrogen, &c., &c. If we attempt to separate the cadmium at once as sulphide, we meet with the difficulty alluded to by Stromeyer, viz., that iodide of cadmium is decomposed very slowly by sulphuretted hydrogen. Some experiments were made to ascertain whether this difficulty of decomposition is owing to the existence of a double salt of sulphide with iodide of cadmium, but without any favorable results. Cadmio-bromide of Sodium.-This salt crystalizes from a mixture of equal equivalents of the two bromides in small brilliant six-sided plates, grouped together so as somewhat to resemble the analogous double chloride. Owing however, to the small amount of bromine in my possession, the quantity of salt obtained was but little, and the crystals were not so free from an admixture of other salts as to yield a satisfactory analysis. The numbers although not agreeing very well with the calculation, seem to lead to the formula Na Br+2 Cd Br+5 HO. B It will seem from this that the bromide and chloride of cadmium have a tendency to form bi-cadmiates, and di-cadmiates (sesqui-cadmiates of Van Hauer) while the iodide forms only mono-cadmiates. In preparing the above compounds the following observations were made on the crystalized iodides of barium and strontium. Iodide of Barium may be prepared by digesting iodine with the sulphide of barium, or with hydrate of baryta, and separation of the iodate, the solution on evaporation yields fine needles of hydriodate of baryta, according to Gay Lussac. The anhydrous salt is not deliquescent according to Gay Lussac, but very much so according to Henry. The composition of the so-called hydriodate has not been ascertained. The salt was prepared according to the second of the above mentioned methods, and also by neutralizing hydriodic acid with carbonate of baryta. The solution yielded tolerably large yellowish prisms, massed together so that the form could not be determined. In a damp atmosphere they deliquesce, but in a dry one effloresce, forming a white powder. When heated they melt in their water of crystalization, swell up and decrepitate strongly, forming a white mass which fuses on further application of heat, and on raising the temperature still higher evolves iodine. The yellow color of the salt is due to the mother liquor. = 25.49 Water. 0.466 = 25.84 = 26.20 Barium. 1.071 lost on heating... 0.273 1.803 1.803 gave sulphate of Baryta 0.804 These numbers require the formula Ba I+7 HO. Iodide of Strontium was formed in the same way; it crystalizes in six-sided tables, deliquescent in a damp, efflorescent in a dry atmos phere, exhibiting when heated the same characters as the salt of barium. 1.693 lost on heating............. 0.391 23.09 Water. 18.62 Strontium. REMARKS ON A CANADIAN SPECIMEN OF THE PROTEUS OF THE LAKES. BY J. GEORGE HODGINS, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR UPPER CANADA. Read before the Canadian Institute, December 15th, 1855. The imperfect knowledge which exists in relation to the history and habits of this singular class of reptiles, added to some peculiarities in the specimen which forms the special object of remark, are, it is hoped, sufficient to confer on the subject of this paper a special interest in the estimation of Canadian Naturalists. The specimen referred to was procured from the Bay of Toronto, Lake Ontario, and having been caught and preserved for some time, alive, it afforded opportunities of observation of the habits of reptiles of this class, such as are not probably of very frequent occurrence. Dr. Williamson, the gentleman into whose possession it first came, and who has presented it to the Provincial Museum in the Normal School Building, obtained the specimen from some boys who were fishing with a hook baited with a worm, off Tinning's Wharf in this City, on the 22d of June last. It suffered some ill treatment at the hands of its captors, which probably hastened its death. Immediately on getting the animal into his possession, Dr. Williamson placed it in a vessel filled with soft water, mixed with a little mud and debris. It appeared lively at first, and on being touched would move about by the aid of its tail, with all the appearance of life and vigor. The water was changed daily and a few worms were given to it from time to time, but it never seemed to have any inclination to touch them. |