74 Composition of the oil from Bir Bahoti. {March, 1909. 
7. The Composition of the oil from Bir Bahoti or the “ Rains 
Insect,” (Trombidium grandissimum).—By E. G. Hitt, B.A., F.C.8. 
The animal known to natives as bir bahoti and which is de- 
scribed as the “rains insect,” the “red velvet insect,” the “ lady 
cow,” in the Cyclopedia of India, and as Bucella carniola im 
Platts’ dictionary, is a red mite about half an inch long and from 
a quarter to three-eighths of an inch in its widest part. It is 
covered with a scarlet, velvety down, and appears on the ground at 
the beginning of the rainy season. It is only to be found for a few 
weeks in the year, but it has a great reputation among Mahome- 
his experiments were eae ae from a dealer in nm A lbahecbadl city. 
They had been kept for several months, but had not putrified at 
all. On pressure they exuded a deep red oil. It is this oil which 
is used medically as an external application. The Cy ee 
quoted it states that the oil is used as a counter- Ha but 
it appears to have no such properties, and its efficacy as a medicine 
is Roleers purely imaginary and due to its colour, 
ut a pound of the insects were extracted with ether in a 
Soxhlet s apparatus. The extraction was carried on till the ether 
came over colourless, and the various fractions were then mixed 
together and the ether evaporated. The oil was slightly wet and it 
was dried over a little calcium chloride. Thus obtained it was 
almost as deep in colour as bromine. It had a specific gravity — 
of ‘907 at 15°C. On being kept at that temperature for a day or — 
two, it set to a semi-solid mass which melted at 18°-19°. The oil 
of opium. It began to boil with decomposition at 240 st 
portions of the distillate were liquid, but subsequently at a hight 
temperature solid products also passe re all 
colourless. Acrolein was obviously one of the products 
e oil pecs jE in thse put alcohol left a small por- : 
tion undissolved. This was of the same red colour as the original : 
oil: it was more soluble in hot alcohol, but was thrown out 3 
cers as the alcohol cool 
nitrous acid the oil gave a buttery elaidin in a few hours 
On distillation on sien partial hydrolysis took place, and the | 
distillate had a pungent odour which seemed to be that t of 
butyric acid his acid was recognized by neutralizing the 
distillate with potassium hy and svagieatin ) — 
the wate he salt thus obtained was treated with alcohol 
and a few drops of sulphuric acid, and warmed, when the distinctive — 
soe 
