CHE NO PODIA OE^E. 1 45 



and forming a dark olive-brown coloured powder, odourless and 

 tasteless, but bitter in an alcoholic solution, soluble in ammonia, 

 forming a deep yellowish brown solution, from which it was 

 reprecipitated by acids in dirty yellowish white flocks. In 

 alcohol the resin was easily soluble with acid reaction ; with 

 ferric chloride the alcoholic solution was slightly darkened in 

 tint. 



After agitation with petroleum ether the acid aqueous solution 

 was agitated with ether : the ether extract was small in quantity, 



J 



and though some small points separated on the sides of the dish 

 which appeared crystalline on naked-eye inspection, on micros- 

 copic examination no crystalline forms were yisiblc. In water 

 the extract was partly soluble with strong acid reaction : the 

 aqueous solution gave with ferric chloride a dirty bluish-green 

 precipitate, changing almost instantly to dirty whitish-brown. 

 With alkalies a bright yellow coloration was afforded; the 

 solution did not precipitate gelatine and gave no reaction with 

 cyanide of potassium. The ether extract was treated with 

 ammonia, in which, with the exception of some flocks, it 

 appeared to be wholly soluble. The solution exhibited a marked 

 greenish fluorescence ; it was agitated with ether. The ether 

 extractive formed a non- crystalline yellow varnish, soluble in 

 alcohol without fluorescence, with a very bitter taste and neutral 

 reaction; treated with dilute sulphuric acid a small portion dis- 

 solved, and the solution afPorded marked reactions with all alka- 

 loidal reagents. The alkaline aqueous solution was acidulated, 

 which caused whitish flocks to separate, and agitated with ether. 

 The ether extract was a non-crystalline yellow varnish, partly 

 soluble in water with strong acid reaction, the solution affording 

 similar reactions to the original aqueous solution of the ether ex- 

 tract. The ammoniacal solution exhibited a greenish fluorescence. 

 The original aqueous acid solution was now rendered alkaline 

 and reagitated with ether; a yellow varnish was obtained after 

 spontaneouB evaporation of the ether. The extract was treated 

 with dilute sulphuric acid and agitated with ether, the ether 

 separated, the aqueous solution rendered alkaline, and again 

 agitated with ether, in order to purify any alkaloidal principle 



III.— 19 



