326 PROCEEDIKGS OF SECTION B. 



ordinary manner. On introducing a very small quantity of sodium 

 chloride, however, and again shaking, reaction commenced, and in 

 most cases nitric oxide was evolved corresponding approximately 

 in quantity with the amount of nitrates present as determined by 

 other methods ; though, in some cases, there was a decided 

 deficiency in the quantity of gas evolved. It should be stated 

 that nitrates were present in small quantity, nitrogen as nitrates 

 being only about "OS parts per 100.000. If considerably larger 

 quantities were introduced, reaction set in without addition of 

 sodium chloride, but no exact experiments were made to ascertain 

 if there was any considerable deficiency. We are at a loss to 

 account for these results, unless by supposing that the organic 

 matter present in the water exerts a retarding or preventive in- 

 fluence on the reaction when the quantity of nitrates is small. 



16.— PRELIMINARY NOTE ON THE COLORING 

 MATTER OF LOMATIA I LI CI FOLIA. 



Bij E. H. RENNIE, M.A., D.Sc. 

 Surrounding the ripe seeds of Lomatia ilicifol'ia is a yellow 

 powder. This substance is soluble in alcohol and the ordinary 

 organic solvents, and also in hot water, from which it crystallises on 

 cooling in fine needles. It can easily be purified by two or three 

 crystallisations from hot water containing a little acetic acid, and 

 it then consists of a mass of fine needles having a melting point of 

 126°-127° C. It dissolves in alkalies yielding a red solution. The 

 combustion results and a molecular weight determination point to 

 the formula 0,6 Hig O4, but further experiments are necessary to 

 definitely fix the formula. It yields apparently a diacetyl derivative, 

 and salts, in which one atom of hyiirogen is replaced by metal, the 

 barium salt forming red needles. 'I'he examination of this sub- 

 stance is being continued. 



o-^Jl-o- 



17._N0TES FROM THE LABORATORY OF THE WAL- 

 LAROO SMELTING WORKS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



By T. a. CLOUD. Assoc. Royal School of Mines, F.I.C., F.C.S., and 

 G. J. ROGERS, Assoc. Royal College of Science. 



(1.) DETERMINATION OF COPPER. 

 The determination of copper by electrolysis was first proposed 

 by Gibbs in 1864. The separation was made from a sulphuric acid 



