Mr. B. C. Brodie on Myricine. 255 



and the general preparation of the substance is the same as iu 

 the similar case of the cerotene from Chinese wax, to which 

 substance it is closely analogous. If the hydrocarbon from 

 the distillation of the pure myricine, the acids having been 

 boiled out with potash, be pressed out in a press between 

 blotting-paper, it will have a melting-point of about 56° C. 

 This can be raised by further crystallization out of aether to 

 60° C. The analysis of the substance in this condition shows 

 the presence of some body containing oxygen, in addition to 

 the hydrocarbon. 



CO2. HO. 



0-2606 grm. of this substance gave 0*8094 0*3402 



100*00 



Another analysis gave similar results. This led me to pre- 

 pare the substance in rather a different manner. The pa- 

 raffine having been carefully pressed out in the manner de- 

 scribed, was rectified over potassium, which destroys the 

 oxygen compound. The distillate is perfectly white: it con- 

 tains a little oil, which may again be pressed out. By crystal- 

 lization out of pure aether, the melting-point may now be 

 raised to 62° C. This substance was analysed. 



CO2. HO. 



0-261 grm. gave . . 0*8165 0-3393 



giving in 100 parts, — 



Carbon .... 85-31 

 Hydrogen '. . . 14*44 



99-75 

 The formula C^H™ demands — 



C^ 85-71 



H„ 14-28 



99-99 



The difference between the hydrogen calculated and found 

 is only 0-16 per cent., which is as near to theory as such ana- 

 lyses can be expected to come. Cerotine melts at 81° C. 

 The hydrocarbon I have called cerotene melts at 57° to 58*^'. 

 Melissine melts at 85°. The wax hydrocarbon at 62° C, 

 showing a precisely analogous difference in their melting- 

 points. Owing to the numerous operations which are neces- 



