Fluid in the Ascidia of Nepenthes. 131 



liquid. Litmus paper likewise was turned red when dipped in 

 the water. 



The behaviour of the water towards chemical tests was as fol- 

 lows : — 



Ammonia produced no change. 



Carbonate of ammonia produced no change. 



Lime-water produced no change. 



Chloride of calcium and ammonia produced no change. 



Nitrate of barytes produced no change. 



Nitrate of silver gave a white voluminous precipitate, inso- 

 luble in nitric acid, but soluble in ammonia. 



Acetate of lead produced a white precipitate soluble for the 

 greater part in boiling water. 



Basic acetate of lead gave a white voluminous precipitate in 

 the clear liquid filtered from the precipitate which was caused by 

 neutral acetate of lead. 



Oxalate of ammonia produced a small white precipitate of 

 oxalate of lime. 



Phosphate of soda and ammonia, added to the concentrated 

 liquid filtered from the oxalate of lime, gave a crystalline white 

 precipitate of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia. 



Chloride of platinum, added to the water after having been 

 evaporated to a small bulk, produced a crystalline yellow preci- 

 pitate. 



The residue left on evaporation of the water coloured the alco- 

 hol flame yellow. 



These reactions indicate the presence of chlorine, potash, soda, 

 magnesia, lime and organic acids, and prove the absence of other 

 bases and of sulphuric acid, tartaric acid, racemic acid, oxalic and 

 phosphoric acid. 



3. Fluid from unopened pitcher-plants grown in the Experi- 

 mental Gardens, Edinburgh, June 13th, 1849. 



The water was perfectly clear and colourless, had an acid re- ' 

 action on litmus paper, and exhibited the same physical and che- 

 mical characters as the fluid from the pitcher-plants of the Bota- 

 nical Garden. 



63*21 grains of water left on evaporation a residue which, dried 

 at 212° F., amounted to 



0*58 grain. 

 100 parts of the fluid therefore contained 



0*91 per cent, of dry residue. 



Exposed to a red heat the residue (0*58 gr.) turned black, and 

 gave off pungent fumes, and left a white ash after all the char- 

 coal was completely burnt away, the weight of which was 0*42 

 of a grain. 



The loss by burning therefore was 25*86 per cent. 



9* 



