and fatty matter and a little animal substance. The water had therefore acted on the cochineal, in removing the. last portions of colouring and fatty matter, and also dissolving some of that animal substance which forms as it were the basis or the skeleton of the insect.

On the Animal Matter of Cochineal.

This substance, procured in the way above-mentioned, is white or brownish, and translucent; when slowly dried at a gentle heat it becomes like horn, and will then keep unchanged; but when left to itself in a moist place, it is decomposed with a nauseous smell. If it is burnt after having been dried to horn, it softens, swells, gives out a very fetid smell, and yields all the usual products of animal matter, and in particular a good deal of carbonate of ammonia. This animal matter is very little soluble in water, requiring several hours of boiling to be dissolved, and then yielding a yellowish water, which froths on shaking, and readily putrifies when left to itself.

This animal matter seems to have some affinity with gelatine, but its solution in water is not rendered turbid by adding equal parts of alcohol; and on the other hand it is precipitated by all the acids, requiring a great excess of acid, to be re-dissolved; in all which particulars it differs from gelatine. Chlorine separates copiously the animal matter of cochineal, but iode produces no change. Ammonia favours its solution in water, but potash and soda act with much more energy, enabling the water to dissolve it in great quantity. No ammonia is given out during this solution. The saturation of the alkali by any acid again separates the animal matter, but if much excess of acid is employed for that purpose, the acid forms with the animal matter an insoluble compound.

TO BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NEXT.

WILLIAM GELDART and JOHN SERVANT, both of

Leeds, Yorkshire, Carpenters, and JONATHAN HOWGATE, of Leeds, Flax-dresser; for certain improvements in the manner of heating dry-houses, malt-kilns, and other buildings requiring heat. Dated June 1, 1819.

CHARLES ATTWOOD, of Bridge-street, Blackfriars, London, Window-glass Manufacturer; for a mode or modes of manufacturing mineral alkali, and vegetable alkali, and the application thereof, so far as relates to mineral alkali, by way of improvement on, or addition to, other modes heretofore known or in use; but more particularly in the manufacture of kelp. Dated June 22, 1819.

JOHN LEWIS, Clothier, WILLIAM LEWIS, Dyer, and WILLIAM DAVIS, Engineer, all of Brimscomb, Gloucestershire; for certain improvements in the application of pointed wires, or other pointed substances of a suitable nature, for the purpose of raising the pile or face of woollen or other cloths, of fabric requiring such process. Dated June 19, 1819.

JOHN LEWIS, Clothier, WILLIAM LEWIS, Dyer, and WILLIAM DAVIS, Engineer, all of Brimscomb, Glou cestershire; for certain improvements in the application of mechanical powers for the purpose of laying, smoothing, and polishing the pile or face of woollen, or other cloth or fabric; and also for the purpose of cleansing at the same time the said cloth or fabric requiring such operations. Dated June 19, 1819.

JOHN

JOHN NEILSON, of the town of Linlithgow, in the county of Linlithgow, Glue-maker; for certain vegetable substances not hitherto used by tanners and leatherdressers, may be employed in tanning and colouring leather; and that certain vegetable substances, not hitherto used by dyers, may be employed in the art of dyeing. Dated June 19, 1819.

STEPHEN BEDFORD, of Birchall-street, in Birming→ ham, Warwickshire, Iron-founder; for improvements in the preparation of iron and other metals for various pur poses, and also an improvement in the converting British iron into steel. Dated June 22, 1819. M

DAVID GORDON, of Edinburgh, Esq. and EDWARD HEARD, of Brighton, Sussex, Chemist; for a portable gas lamp. Dated June 19, 1819. #

ALEXANDER HADDEN, of Aberdeen, Scotland, Manufacturer; for an improved manufacture for carpeting. Dated June 22, 1819.

EDWARD JORDAN, of Norwich, Engine-maker; for an improved water-wheel for draining marsh-lands, whereby water may be raised from a greater depth by a wheel of less diameter, and a large quantity of marshland drained in a shorter time than, by any water-wheel now in use, and thereby great labour and expense saved. Dated June 22, 1819.

Specification of the Patent granted to HENRY EWBANK, of London, Merchant ; for Machinery for cleansing or dressing Paddy or Rough Rice, so as to fit it for culinary Purposes. Dated February 9, 1819.

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c. Now KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I the said Henry Ewbank do hereby declare that the following statement under my hand and seal does particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said machinery, and the manner in which the said paddy or rough rice is cleansed or dressed, so as to fit it for culinary purposes. The paddy or rough rice, after having been sifted through a wire screen, adapted to the size of the grain, to separate it from dirt, sand, or other extraneous matter, is conveyed by any of the usual modes to a pair of mill-stones, for the purpose of shelling or removing the external husk or shell; stones of various diameter may be used, but those of six to seven feet, are considered by me a convenient size. From the stones the rice passes a wind-fan, to separate the chaff or outer VOL. XXXV.-SECOND SERIES.

S

husk

husk from the shelled rice, which is next to be conveyed into a screen of wire-cloth, which may be cylindrical or polygonal, and is made to revolve upon an inclining axis. The wire-cloth of this screen is of two degrees of fineness, the finest part being at the most elevated, and is adapted to let the dust and the lower or coarser part, the shelled rice, pass through it; and such grains as may have e scaped from the stones without being shelled, will not pass through this wire-cloth at all, but be delivered at its lowest end, to be returned to the stones again. So far it will be seen that the process and machinery used bears a resemblance to the shelling of oats, and the cleansing and dressing of other grain; and I distinctly disclaim all exclusive privilege to the use of any part or parts of the foregoing or following machinery, excepting such as I shall specifically claim as new in this country, either in themselves or in their application or combination. But rice has also an internal skin or pellicle, which, although very thin, requires to be removed before it is fit for culinary use, and which is not at all touched or affected by the previous operation of the stones or screens. This internal skin or pellicle I rub off and remove, by triturating the rice prepared and shelled as above in mortars, by means of heavy pestles. For this purpose the shelled rice, as it comes from the screen after the operation of the stones, is carried to a bin or receptacle, from whence it can be let down at pleasure by means of spouts into one or more mortars, according to the extent of the work to be performed. These mortars may be formed of wood, cast-iron, or other sufficiently strong material, the bottom of their cavities being of an egg-like shape, and then soon expanding to their greatest width, with their top slightly contracted. The size of each mortar should be equal to hold about five bushels of rice, besides room

for