ON THE INDIAN-GRASS OIL. 641 



produced by snow and salt. Much heat is evolved, and the oil is turned pink and 

 brown in colour, if the hydro-chloric acid is transmitted rapidly. 



The binoxide of nitrogen also combines with this oil, giving a resinous mass, 

 but no crystalline body. 



Iodine exhibits a violent action on coming into contact with the oil. Sulphu- 

 ric acid turns it brown. 



A portion of the oil contains oxygen ; indeed, it is not improbable that it is 

 a mixture of several oils. .3540 of another specimen obtained from Dr CHRISTI- 

 SON, when purified by distillation and dried, gave 1.116 carbonic acid, and .3655 

 water, which, when brought to hundred parts, is 



Carbon, 87.19 

 Hydrogen, 11.43 



The Oil of Andropogon may be considered to belong to the numerous family 

 of carbo-hydrogens ; beyond this it possesses no interest in a chemical point of 

 view. It is, doubtless, a mixture of several of these troublesome bodies, and con- 

 tains, besides, an oxygenated oil. 



