668 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 
Thus these bodies allow the liquid which they absorb to” 
behave within them much as it does when outside. 
They are not quite homogeneous but show some difference of 3 
constitution as we pass from the centre to the outer boun- 
daries. ‘This is made apparent by the remarkable fact that the 
crystalloid when placed in a solvent begins to dissolve at its 
centre, at which a vacuole is formed which gradually grows 
in size till only the edges of the crystalloid remain undissolved.’ 
Further, while to the superficial observer they often appear 
quite as regular as crystals, angles of these bodies which according 
to the law of zones should be equal, differ by several degrees, and 
the angles vary according to the nature of the medium in which 
the erystalloids lie.’ 
The double-refraction of crystalloids is always very slight.‘ 
Crystalloids not already saturated show imbibition; placed in 
certain liquids they swell up to a bulk which is many times as 
great as that they have in their dried condition, and they do this 
without losing their regular form.’ 
In some cases the extension takes place i in a certain direction, 
but not in directions at right angles to this. Thus in the case of 
erystalloids of Brazil nuts there is no appreciable increase of - 
dimension perpendicular to the principal axis, and maximum ex- 
tension takes place in the direction of this axis.° 
Partial destruction of symmetry of arrangement by the action 
of an acid is revealed by the fact that too high a proportion of 
acid produces convexity of the faces of some crystalloids.” Also 
by the fact that crystalloids of Brazil nuts through imbibition of 
an acid suffer important modification and become incapable of 
restoration to the form and magnitude they had prior to imbibi- 
1 Lothar Meyer says: ‘‘It is very noteworthy that in many cases precisely the 
same phenomena can occur in the interior of the liquid taken up as in that remaining 
outside, for example, the same diffusion movements. (Lothar Meyer’s ‘‘ Grundziige 
der theoretischen Chemie.’? 2nd Edition, p. 119.) Bedson & Williams’ translation, 
p. 129. 
2 Schimper, ‘‘ Ueber die Krystallisation der eiweissartigen Substanzen.” Zeitschr. 
£. Kryst., v., p. 182 and p. 160. Comp. Jbid., p. 157. 
3 Ibid., p. 133. 4 Tbid., p. 135. 
5 Ibid., p. 188. 6 Tbid., p. 150. 
7 Tbid., p. 151. 
