ANSERIN. 165 



diluted with water, and the colouring matter is precipitated un- 

 altered by acids. Acetic acid does not dissolve it. Sulphuric 

 and nitric acids decompose it. It is soluble in volatile oils; 

 and all its solutions have a fine red colour. 



Its taste and smell are weak and mouldy, somewhat similar to 

 that of fat It does not alter the colour of vegetable blues. Ac- 

 cording to the analysis of Goebel it is composed of, 



Carbon, . 69-02 



Hydrogen, 8 -74 



Oxygen, . 22-24 



100-00* 



As we are ignorant of the atomic weight of this substance we 

 cannot deduce its constitution from this analysis. But the smal- 

 lest number of atoms of each constituent deducible from it are 

 the following : 



4 atoms carbon, 3- or per cent 68-58 

 3 atoms hydrogen, 0-375 . 8-57 



1 atom oxygen, = 1- . 22.85 



4-375 100-00 



CHAPTER V. 



OF ANSERIN, OR THE COLOURING MATTER OF GOOSE FOOT. 



THE pigment on the feet and bills of the goose has a yellow 

 colour, and possesses all the chemical characters of the colour- 

 ing matter of the craw-fish and pigeon's foot At the ordinary 

 temperature of the atmosphere it is liquid and resembles oil, but 

 at 45 , it assumes the consistence of tallow. Its constituents, 

 as determined by Goebel, are, 



Carbon, . 65-53 



Hydrogen, . 9.22 



Oxygen, . 25.25 



100-OOf 

 The atomic weight being unknown we cannot deduce the con- 



* Schweigger's Journ. xxxix. 426. f Ibid, xxxix. 450. 



