i^i On the Chemical Nature of Ants. 



them with the fame fubftances. Without here entering intd 

 a tirefome account of thefe comparative experiments, we (hall 

 content ourfelves with faying that thefe two compounds ex- 

 hibited phaenomena abfolutely fimilar. 



Ants contain then, and confequentlv form, malic acid, like 

 vegetables. It is no doubt the prefence of this acid which 

 had miflcd the cbeinifts who preceded us in this labour. 

 While they acknowledged in the acid of ants a great analogy 

 with vinegar, they however found differencts which induced 

 them to confider it as a particular acid ; and thefe differences 

 arofe from the prefence of the malic acid in the acetous acid 

 of ants. 



JDiJliUntlon of the VroduB of Ants treated with Alcohol. 



iith. The ants, exhaufted by alcohol, furnifhed a limpid 

 and flightlv alkaline water, a reddifli brown oil, thick and 

 exceedingly foetid. The hrfl liquor, diluted with water, and 

 ifiltfrcd to feparate the oil, produced a flight effervefcence 

 with acids. 



As it emitted at the fame time an odour of vinegar, eafily 

 diftinguiflied amid ft the fcetidnefs by which it was accom- 

 panied, a certain quantity of it mixed with fulphuric acid was 

 diftilled, and we obtained a colourlefs acid produft of an em- 

 pvreumatic odour, which contained a fmall quantity of ace- 

 tous acid. Was this acetous acid completely formed in the 

 ants exhaufted by alcohol, or was it formed by the aftion of 

 the fire ? 



The produft of the diftillation of the exhaufted ants con- 

 tained then a foetid empyreumatic oil, carbonate of ammo- 

 nia, and acctite of ammonia, all dillolved in a large niafs of 

 water. 



Examination of the JSTatter luhlcb feparated from the Alcohol 

 during the Dijlillation 7ue}itioned in No. 4. 



1 2th. The reader will remember that the alcoholic infufion 

 fubje61ed to diftillation fuftered to be depofited a brown fub- 

 ftance which had been feparated from it by the filter. This 

 fubftance was of fo dark a red colour that when feen in a large 

 mafs it appeared to be black : when dried it was brittle, its 

 fra(5lure was fmooth and brilliant like that of refm, it had no 

 fenfible favour, it was not foluble in water; and this may 

 ferve to explain its precipitation in proportion as the alcohol 

 evaporated. Though inibUible in water, when macerated a 

 long time in that fluid it communicated to it a flight fawn 

 Colour, owing, in all probability, to a imall quantity of cx- 

 tfadive inattev intcrpofed between its parts. 



Alcohol 



