Experiments upon Mushrooms. 295 
the neck of the retort, and the nature of which could not be 
ascertained. 
4, A charcoal, the parts of which were not joined into one 
mass by heat. 
5. This charcoal, when burnt in a platina crucible, gave a 
small quantity of whitish ashes, mostly composed of pliosphate 
of lime and lime itself. 
This result differs essentially from that which M. Braconnot 
says he obtained from fungine subjected to the same operation, 
since it announces that its product was ammoniacal, without 
however containing carbonate; which appeared to be impossible. 
I am doubtful whether we ought to form a particular prin- 
ciple of this substance : its numerous analogies with the com- 
mon ligneous principle seem to indicate that it is merely this 
principle slightly modified by some matter which remains mixed 
or combined with it. 
Juice of Mushrooms extracted by means of Water. 
It will be recollected that the juice of mushrooms so ob- 
tained was evaporated to the consistence of a soft extract, and 
afterwards treated with hot alcohol. 
The latter dissolved a considerable quantity of matter, which 
communicated to it a brownish red colour ; but it also left a 
certain quantity of other substances, the greater part of which 
consisted of albumen coagulated durmg the evaporation of the 
juice. 
The first portion of alcohol not appearing to act any longer, 
it was decanted, and replaced by a second, and so on until this 
fluid was no longer coloured. 
All the portions of alcohol were collected, and distilled in the 
vapour bath, in order to obtain the principles which were dis- 
solved in it. We shall recur presently to this part of the opera- 
tion; in the mean time we shall examine the matter insoluble 
in alcohol. 
I began by washing it in water, which extracted a deep 
brown colour from it: when fresh quantities of water, passed 
over this matter, no longer took any colour, it was dried by a 
gentle heat, anda portion was distilled, The washings above 
mentioned were evaporated, and put by themselves to be used 
as will afterwards appear. 
When once dried, this matter was of a blackish eolour, and 
was considerably hard and brittle: the fracture was shining : 
when put upon burning coals it softened, and emitted a smoke 
the smell of which resembled burnt horn. 
When distilled, it furnished abundance of carbonate of am- 
monia crystallized in the neck of the retort: another portion 
T4 in 
