278 



The discovery of a new ammonia salt of this acid, differing from 

 the yellow one formerly described, has led him to modify the rational 

 formula of the acid ; and he now gives for the acid and its two am- 

 monia salts the formulae, 



Meconamidic acid, 6 HOCg^ Hg^ N^ Qg3 + 9 HO. 



Yellow ammonia salt, 6 NH^ OCg^ B.^^ N^ 0^^ + 3 NHg + 6 HO. 



White do. do., 6 NH/), C^^ H^^ N, Ogg. 



He added, however, that these formulae deviated much from what 

 analogy would lead us to expect ; and that this want of analogy with 

 other compounds could only be cleared up by farther investigation. 



He then described an amide, biamidomeconic acid, obtained by 

 the action of ammonia on biethylated meconic acid. Its formula is — 



HOC^^H.N^O. + Aq. 



He mentioned also the formation of a black oily substance, pos- 

 sibly the triethylated meconic acid. 



The next section of the paper treated of the action of iodide of 

 ethyle in comenic acid, which yields the substance formerly described 

 as comenamic or ethylocomenic acid, — 



H0C,H,0Ci,H,03. 



This the author considers to be the true comenic ether. On trying 

 to obtain an analogous amyle compound, he obtained what seemed 

 to be the same ethyle compound. 



He next stated that comenic acid, heated to 300° F. with water 

 for some days, undergoes entire decomposition, the products being 

 carbonic acid, and a shining black solid, not yet examined. 



He then described the action of hydrochloric acid on comenic acid 

 and alcohol, which yield a curious compound, which crystallizes in 

 long silky needles, and the formula of which is — 



C, H5 OC12 H^ NO,, 2 HO + HCl. 



It is readily decomposed, yielding comenamic ether. It is therefore 

 a compound of that ether with hydrochloric acid. 



Comenamic ether is readily obtained from it by the action of am- 

 monia on its hot aqueous solution. The ether forms colourless 

 prisms, the formula of which is — 



C, H. OCj.j H, NO^. 



