150 OILY OXIDES NOT SAPONIFIABLE. 



yellow oil distils over, which, on cooling, constitutes a soft mat- 

 ter, having a resinous aspect. 



Castorin is inflammable, and hums without smoke or smell, 

 leaving a quantity of charcoal hehind it. It is insoluble in cold 

 water ; boiling water dissolves a small quantity, which in a few 

 days is deposited in crystals. It dissolves with difficulty in alco- 

 hol, but the stronger that liquid is, the more of it does it dissolve- 

 Alcohol of 0.860 dissolves only j^th of its weight of castorin at 

 the boiling temperature. It is more soluble in ether. The vo- 

 latile oils while cold do not dissolve it. But oil of turpentine 

 dissolves it with the assistance of heat, and becomes muddy on 

 cooling. It may be melted with the fat oils. 



Concentrated sulphuric acid dissolves it readily. The solution 

 is yellow, and water throws down the castorin of a yellow colour. 



Diluted sulphuric acid dissolves it when assisted by heat. The 

 castorin is precipitated when the solution cools, or when the acid 

 is saturated with ammonia. Cold nitric acid does not dissolve it ; 

 but this acid dissolves it while boiling hot, and the solution has 

 a yellow colour. It becomes muddy on cooling, and the casto- 

 rin is precipitated by the addition of water. When nitric acid is 

 made to act long on castorin, it converts it into castoric acid. 



Boiling acetic acid dissolves castorin abundantly ; when the 

 solution is concentrated by evaporation, the castorin is deposited 

 in crystals. The dilute alkaline leys dissolve a little of it when 

 assisted by heat, and on cooling the castorin is deposited unalter- 

 ed. Concentrated solution of caustic potash dissolves it at a boil- 

 ing temperature, and when the ley is diluted with water, the cas- 

 torin precipitates unaltered. 



SECTION V. OF AMBREIN. 



The substance called ambergris is found floating on the sea 

 near the coasts of India, Africa, and Brazil, usually in small 

 pieces, but sometimes in masses of 50 or 100 Ibs. weight. Va- 

 rious opinions have been entertained respecting its origin. Some 

 affirmed that it was the concrete juice of a tree ;* others thought 

 it a bitumen ; others altered bees-wax. f But it is now consider- 

 ed as pretty well established that it is a concretion formed in the 

 stomach or intestines of the Physeter macrocephalus, or spermaceti 

 whale. This fact was first ascertained by the fishermen of New 



* Phil. Trans. 1673, viii. 6113. "f See Pomet on Drugs, ii. 4& 



3 



