202 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. [Vol.38 



nucleus, inasmuch as the same reaction takes place when tryptophan is replaced 

 by indol and it appears probable that it is the a-position of the indol nucleus 

 which is reactive. 



" The soluble luimin nitrogen of proteins hydrolyzed in the presence of trioxj'- 

 niethylene is largely derived from tyrosin. However, the maximum point of 

 the soluble humin curve includes some tryptophan nitrogen. We believe that 

 it is possible to distinguish the soluble humin formed from tryptophan from 

 that derived from tyrosin. for there is a sudden drop from the maximum 

 insoluble humin nitrogen when additional aldehyde is added and then, on the 

 further addition of aldehyde, the curve flattens and becomes approximately a 

 straight line. The sudden drop we believe to be due to the nonformation of 

 soluble humin from tryptophan due to the presence of an excess of aldehyde 

 and the straight line drop to the deamination of the tyrosin humin. If this be 

 true an extension of the deamination curve until it intercepts the rising soluble 

 humin curve should indicate the proportion of the soluble humin nitrogen (hie 

 t© tyrosin. The sudden initial drop in the ammonia fraction is probably due 

 to the removal of some compound (tryptophan) in the insoluble humin which, 

 when no aldehyde is present, contributes nitrogen to the ' ammonia ' fraction. 

 The sudden rise in the ' ammonia ' curve with larger additions of trioxymethyl- 

 ene is not due to the formation of ammonia but to the deamination of amino 

 acids and the formation of volatile alkaline compounds, the nature of which is 

 still under investigation." 



The identity of cyanuric acid with so-called " tetracarbonimid," E. H. 

 Walters and L. E. Wise {Jorir. Amer. Chem. Hoc, 39 (.1917), No. 11, pp. 2^72- 

 2Jfil). — Data are submitted which show that the so-called "tetracarbonimid" 

 which has been prepared by oxidizing uric acid with hydrogen peroxid in alka- 

 line solution is really cyanuric acid. The nitrogenous compound isolated from 

 a number of soils and at first believed to be tetracarbonimid has been shown to 

 be cyanuric acid. 



The further isolation of cyanuric acid from a number of sandy soils from 

 different localities in Florida, Norfolk sandy loam from Virginia, lawn soil 

 from the grounds of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Elkton silt loam from 

 Maryland, Scottsburg silt loam from Indiana, Caribou loam from Maine, and a 

 Susquehanna fine sandy loam from Texas is noted. From these results it 

 appears that the acid or its precursor is Avidely distributed in soils. 



See also a previous note (E. S. R., 37, p. 612.) 



The isolation from peat of certain nucleic acid derivatives, W. B. Bottom- 

 ley (Proc. Roy. Soc. [London], Ser. B, 90 (1917), No. B 623, pp. 59-^^).— From 

 the results of the investigation the author concludes that " all the constituents 

 of a true nucleic acid are present in raw peat, but nucleic acid as such has not 

 been isolated. Nucleic acid must have been present in the plants from which 

 peat has been formed, and since it is improbable that hydrolysis could have 

 been brought about by the methods of extraction employed, the original nucleic 

 acid has evidently been decomposed by bacterial or other agencies during the 

 process of peat formation into the products which have been isolated." The 

 probable course of the decomposition of the nucleic acid in peat is briefly dis- 

 cussed. 



The work reported was only qualitative, but it is indicated that a quantita- 

 tive study is in progress. The analytical procedures used are described in 

 detail. 



Fats from Rhus laurina and R. diversiloba, J. B. McNair (Bot. Gaz., 64 

 (1917), No. 4, pp. 330-336, fig. i).— The following constants were obtained for 

 the substances isolated from R. diversiloba and R. laurina, respectively : Spe- 



