A VINOUS SMELL. 308 



many kinds of wiues, either free or combined with acids, 

 so that the oxide, C 10 H 11 O, combines with acetic or 

 with caprylic, caproic, capric, butyric, pelargonic, pro- 

 pionic, or any other acids, as does oxide of ethyl in salts 

 of oxide of ethyl. Chancel found that in wine-fusel 

 oil prepared from grape-skins more than half consisted 

 of hydrated oxide of amyl ; and Faget* has detected in 

 the more sparingly volatile ingredients of this liquid, 

 a colourless pleasantly aromatic fluid, insoluble in 

 water, and known as caproyl alcohol, C 13 H 14 O.f 



Hydrated oxide of amyl has as disagreeable an 

 odour as cenanthic ether, but some of the compounds 

 are very fragrant. 



Hofmann first remarked that a liquid was sold in 

 England under the name of grape or cognac-oil, and 

 used to give the smell of cognac to inferior kiiids of 

 spirit ; and we may expect this substance to appear in 

 French wines. He had not enough of it to ascertain 

 accurately its chemical composition, but found oxide 

 of amyl in it. 



Oxide of amyl forms plenty of fragrant combina- 

 tions. They appear in old cellared wines, whilst 

 hydrated oxide of amyl must be sought in younger 

 wines. 



Since Breunlin J has made us acquainted with amylo- 



* Comptes Kendus, torn, xxxvii. p. 730, in Ann. der Ch. u. Pharm. 

 Bd. 88, s. 325. 



+ Ann. der Ch. u. Pharm. Bd. 81, s. 90. 

 J Ibid. Bd. 91, s. 314. 



