Kecgaii : The Chemistry of some Comm'on Plants. lyc) 



seed, and the extremely easy culture, may be ignored in view of 

 the supreme importance of the chemical analysis. There is 

 no mycorhiza attached to the roots, and there is a great pro- 

 duction of nitrates, and a copious excretion of water through 

 the large water-slits on the teeth of the leaves. On 15th August 

 the overground parts contained a very little carotin, some wax, 

 and fat-oil ; the alcoholic extract was acid and bitterish, and 

 contained a tannin which gave all the reactions of gallotannin, 

 there was no free phloroglucin or glucose, but some cane- 

 sugar and a little resin ; there was very much pectosic mucilage 

 nearly all extracted by warm water, also considerable starch 

 and oxalate of calcium (occurring only as raphides in the 

 leaves). The ash contained 34.2 per cent, soluble salts, 6 

 silica, 22.7 lime, 3.3 magnesia with a httle manganese, 3.5 

 oxide of iron, 3 P"0^, 4.1 SO^, and 3.2 chlorine. The amount 

 of carbonates was very high, indicating a powerful movement 

 of the albumenoids. The chief interest of this analysis centres 

 in the presence of gallotannin which seems to be rarely found 

 in our Hora outside the orders Onagraceae and Lythracese. 

 I have never detected it with certainty in any other of our 

 common wild plants. Its presence in the Willow-herb is a 

 clear indication that this plant is one of the most chemically 

 advanced members of our flora. The tannin itself is a derivative 

 of pyrogallol, v.'hich contains three hydroxvl (HO) groups,, 

 and thus it would appear that in the course of the process of 

 deassimilation a period of extensive hydration occurs in this 

 plant, which is in strict accordance with the copious water 

 movement already referred to. There is some peculiarity in 

 the needs or otherwise, say of the seed-forming, which allows 

 the proteid, on the occasion of its migration, to drop or leave 

 behind more than usual of its aromatic groups. The pigment 

 of the flowers is very similar to that of the Purple Loosestrife, 

 i.e., it is nearly pure, but not comparable to that of some of our 

 wild geraniums. 



MAMMALS. 



Badger at Holmpton, Holderness. — On March 3rd a fine 

 female Badger weighing 23 lbs. was shot on Mr. Swales' farm 

 at Holmpton, near Withernsea. It is a very unusual thing for 

 a Badger to be in this district. — J. Wilkinson, Withernsea. 



1910 Apl. I. 



