190 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



dissolves out the alkali, and, by evaporation, it is obtained as a 

 white pulverulent substance, presenting a few crystalline points. 



It may be obtained also by acting with dilute sulphuric acid 

 on the seeds, unshelled but well bruised, the solution is to be 

 precipitated by subcarbonate of potash, and the precipitate 

 acted on by alcohol : but, obtained in this way, it is very im- 

 pure. 



Delphine, when pure, is crystalline whilst wet, but, on dry- 

 ing, rapidly becomes opaque by exposure to air. Its taste is 

 bitter and acrid. When heated it melts ; and, on cooling, be- 

 comes hard and brittle like resin. If heated more highly it 

 blackens, and is decomposed. Water dissolves a very small 

 portion of it. Alcohol and ether dissolves it very readily. The 

 alcoholic solution renders syrup of violets green, and restores 

 the blue tint of litmus, reddened by an acid. It forms neutral 

 salts with the acids, which are very soluble ; the alkalies preci- 

 pitate the delphine in a white gelatinous state, like alumine. 



Sulphate of delphine evaporates in the air, does not crystal- 

 lize, but becomes a transparent mass like gum. It dissolves in 

 alcohol and water, and has a bitter acrid taste. In the voltaic 

 current it is decomposed, giving up its alkali at the negative 

 pole. 



Nitrate of delphine, when evaporated to dryness, is a yel- 

 low crystalline mass. If treated with excess of nitric acid, it 

 become converted into a yellow matter, little soluble in water, 

 but soluble in boiling alcohol. This solution is bitter, is not 

 precipitated by potash, ammonia, or lime-water, and appears to 

 contain no nitric acid, though itself is not alkaline. It is not 

 destroyed by further quantities of acid, nor does it form ox&lic 

 acid. Strychnine and morphium take a red colour from nitric 

 acid, but delphine never. 



The acetate of delphine does not crystallize, but forms a 

 transparent hard mass, bitter and acrid, and readily decom- 

 posed by cold sulphuric acid. The oxalate forms small white 

 plates, resembling in taste the preceding salts. 



Delphine calcined with oxide of copper gave no other gas 



