OF THE TAGUA NUT. 545 



The result of the analysis was as follows : 



Gum, ... .... . . .,. . . 6.73 



Legumin or vegetable casein, 3.8 



Vegetable albumen, 0.42 



Fixed oil, "*!'.''. . . . . 0.73 



Ashes 0.61 



Water, 9.37 



Lignin or other woody matter, .... 81.34 



100.00 



In the ashes were found phosphate of lime, sulphate of potash, chloride of 

 potassium, carbonate of lime, and a little matter insoluble in acids, and apparently 

 siliceous. There was also a little iron ; but this might have proceeded from the 

 tools employed in working the ivory. 



It thus appears, that this seed contains between 4 and 5 per cent, of azotised 

 matters, besides a much larger proportion of non-azotised substances ; all of which 

 are available for the nourishment of the future plant during germination, as 

 well as for the food of any animals which may partake of it. It is said, that 

 in the young and soft state of the nut, certain wild animals are fond of it. My 

 analysis does not present any substance which we can positively say would prove 

 deleterious to the animal economy ; although, of course, it is possible that some of 

 them, such as the oil, might be so. But I made no experiments in this point of 

 view, which, of course, it would be essential should be done, before it could be 

 suggested that the powdered nut might, from its azotised and other constituents, 

 be made available, in some shape or other, and to a certain limited extent, as an 

 article of food. It is said that large cargoes of these nuts are now occasionally 

 imported. 



The chemical constitution of this substance appears to throw no farther light 

 on its remarkable state of cohesion, than to suggest the idea, that the gum and 

 other soluble constituents may have the effect of agglutinating the ligneous par- 

 ticles to such an extent as to cause its great density and tenacity. 



Since this paper was read, it has been stated to me by Professor JOHNSTONE, 

 that Dr BAUMHAUER of Utrecht had lately found, by digesting the residual matter, 

 which I have considered lignin, in strong caustic potash for many days at the 

 ordinary temperature, the potash took up a matter, precipitated again by acids, 

 which he thought to be a new sort of starch, differing both from common starch 

 and from inulin. In ultimate constitution, it differed little from woody tissue or 

 from starch. This may be all very correct ; but I doubt much whether we can 



VOL. XV. PART IV. 7 H 



