254 Messrs. D. Maclagan and G. Tilley on the 



perties of an organic alkali. This is pure bebeerine, as de- 

 scribed in April 1843. 



Bebeerine thus obtained does not crystallize. It is very so- 

 luble in alcohol, less so in aether, and very sparingly in water. 

 Heated, it fuses; and the heat being continued it swells up, 

 giving off vapours of a strong peculiar odour, and burns with- 

 out residue. Subjected to the action of oxidizing agents, it 

 gives with bichromate of potash and sulphuric acid a blackj 

 and with nitric acid a yellow resin. It forms with acids salts 

 which are all uncrystallizable ; with perchloride of gold, mer- 

 cury, copper, iron and platinum, it gives precipitates which 

 are soluble to a certain extent in hot water and alcohol, but 

 which on the solution cooling are not deposited from it in a 

 crystalline form*. 



To ascertain the composition of the base, two portions of 

 it, prepared at separate times, were subjected to combustion. 



(1.) 0*300 grms. substance gave 0-179 water and 0*788 

 carbonic acid. 



(2.) 0-3505 substance gave 0*1965 water and 0*922 car* 

 bonic acid. 



(3.) 0*350 substance gave 0*2095 water and 0*914 carbonic 

 acid. 



Nitrogen was estimated by Will and Varrentrapp's method. 



(1.) 0*4030 substance gave 0*3490 ammonio-chlofide of 

 platinum. 



(2.) 0*417 substance gave 0*1175 platinum. 



These numbers lead to the following per-centage propor- 

 tions, the atomic weight of carbon being taken at 75*85. 



The combination with chloride of platinum was made use 

 of to determine the atomic weight of the base. 



(1.) 0*6380 salt gave 0*1215 platinum = 19*04 per cent. 



* When precipitated by ammonia from its solutoin in acids, it is ob- 

 tained in the form of a very pale yellow powder. This was examined with 

 a view to determine whether or not it was a hydrate of the alkali. It was 

 washed, dried in vacuo over sulphuric acid, and heated in an oil-bath. Al 

 308° Fahr. it began to soften, and at .370° it fused into a transparent brown 

 resinous mass. It did not sensibly lose weight during the process, and had 

 undergone no change in properties from exposure to this temperature, as 

 it retained its perfect solubility in acids, and formed with them the usual 

 bright yellow solution. 



