0)1 the Chetnical Kature cj Ants, 155 



tkl organs of life, and which open only on the outfide of their 

 bodies. Anatomy only can unveil to us this remarkable ap- 

 paratus of fecretiun. 



15th, In regard to the malic acid which in ants accompa- 

 nies the acetous acid. \Ve fhall terminate this memoir by 

 • a general remark on the exiftence of this acid in organic 

 compounds. 



Few vegetable acids are fo generally and fo abundantly 

 diffufed throuiThout nature as the malic acid ; and, though it 

 has not been long known in comparifon of many others, it 

 has been difcovered in a multitude of fubftances, and iti 

 properties have been carefully ftudied. 



It has been found in fruits with feeds, with (tones, and in 

 a great number of berries. 



It exifts in a multitude of plants in the ftate of nialate of 

 lime. The joubarbes, craHula, and cotyledons, nicfembryan- 

 themum, fedum, and even aloes, contain more or Icfs confi- 

 derable quantities of it, according to the analvfis made by 

 C. Vauquelin, and infertcd in the Aiinales de Chimie. 



It is found in abundance in the liquor which is feparated 

 by the hairs of chicken peafe [cicer arietlnu7n), where it is ac- 

 companied with a imall quantity of oxalic acid and by fonie 

 atoms of acetous acid. 



It is formed by the aftion of the nitric and oxygenated 

 muriatic acids on all vegetable fubftunces, and in parti- 

 cular on fugar, gums, flarch, honey, &c.: it always precedes 

 the formation of the oxalic acid by thefe re-agents : vegeta- 

 ble and even animal fubitances are conftahtly changed into 

 malic acid before they are converted into oxalic acid, by the 

 acids above indicated. 



It is thus that blood, uree, the uric acid, and jelly, when 

 treated with either of the acids above mentioned, are firil 

 changed into malic acid, and afterwards into oxalic acid if the 

 aftion of the acid be continued in a powerful manner; but it 

 is always united with ammonia when it arilts from animal 

 matters, bccaufe there is formed at the fame time a certain 

 quantity of that alkali. 



It io not vegetables only that continually give birth to the 

 malic acid : animals are equally fufceptiblc of producing it : 

 it is in the clafs of infects in particular that this property is 

 manifelled. 



It appears that the malic acid is in fome meafure the 

 fird ftageof acidilication in the procefles of nature and of art. 

 It precedes in a fpecial manner the formation ot the oxalic 

 and acetous acids, bccaufe it contains a grcUcr quantity of 

 the radicals, or of carbon and liydrugep, and confcquently 

 6 Ids 



