Zoological Society. 385 



state the result of experiments made by the author on the bark and 

 seeds of the tree, which had been found by Mr. Rodie, late surgeon 

 R.N., to contain a vegetable alkali possessed of the power of check- 

 ing intermittent fevers. Dr. Maclagan stated that the tree was un- 

 known to botanists. Sir WiUiam Hooker and Dr. Lindley had seen 

 the fruit and declared it to be lauraceous, but the author had been 

 unable to find in Nees v. Esenbeck's ' Systema Laurinarum' any genus 

 or even suborder of lauraceous plants to which he could refer it. 

 With regard to its chemical qualities, Dr. INIaclagan stated that he 

 had obtained both from the bark and seeds two distinct alkalies, both 

 uncrystallizable ; to one of which he applied Mr. Rodie's name Be- 

 beerine ; to the other he gave the name of Sipeerine. They could 

 be separated by anhydrous aether, the bebeerine being soluble in that 

 menstruum, whilst the sipeerine was not. Dr. Maclagan had likewise 

 obtained, especially from the seeds, a peculiar crystallizable and de- 

 liquescent acid, which he called bebeeric acid, and which seemed to 

 be distinct from ever)" vegetable acid hitherto described. 



The author stated that he had instituted experiments with a view 

 to ascertain if a soluble salt of the alkalies could be procured which 

 might be used as a substitute for sulj)hate of quinine when dear. He 

 stated as the results of his trials that the produce did not amount to 

 more than one and a half of sulphate per cent, from the bark ; but he 

 still calculated that if the bark could be got at a moderate })rice, the 

 salt of the alkalies might be prepared at a cost inferior to that of 

 sulphate of quinine. Dr. Maclagan stated that the bark appeared to 

 be better suited for the purposes of manufacture than the seeds. The 

 author mentioned that sulphate prepared under his directions had been 

 sent out to Demerara, and had been tried there with marked success 

 in intermittent fever by Dr. Watt. He had likewise used it with suc- 

 cess in a few cases of ague in Edinburgh, and also in periodic head- 

 ache, so that he had no doubt of its possessing considerable power as 

 an antiperiodic remedy. Lastly, he mentioned that a secret prepa- 

 ration, sold under the name of Warburg's Fever Drops, reputed a 

 good antiperiodic, appeared to him to be a tincture of bebeeru seeds. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



May 10, 1842. — William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 

 Mr. Gould exhibited and pointed out the characters of two new 

 species of Kangaroo. The first of these belongs to the section to 

 which Mr. Gray gave the name Petrogale, as was described under 

 the name 



Petrogale coxcinna. Pet. corpore supra rvfescentefusco alboque 

 irrorato, ad latera flavescente, subtiis albo ; candd dimidio apicali 

 pills longis vestitd, his flavescenti-albis ad apicetn nigris ; pedibus 

 pallide fuscis, pilis sordide albis crebre interspersis ; auribus me- 

 diocribus ad apicem paulo attenuatis. 



unc. lin. 



Longitudo ab apice rostri ad caudae basin. ... 14 

 cattdce 8 



