Skey. — On the Movements of Camphor on Water. 473 



our oxygenated oils yield alkaloids to a process wliicli hitherto has been 

 considered applicable to hydro-carbon oils alone, and even of these but 

 very few. 



I should inform you that none of the oils, etc., cited above, when tested 

 for alkaloidal matter gave any indication of its presence, although I operated 

 in each case upon the same quantity of oil as that I used for the aniline 

 process. 



The constitution and precise character of the alkaloid or alkaloids I 

 have thus formed I cannot at present describe to you, as I have not yet the 

 leisure to prosecute this investigation to the end. I hope to take up this 

 subject on some future day, but in the meantime I shall be glad to hear of 

 any one continuing the research, as it can hardly fail to give results of 

 great interest. 



PosTSCEiPT. — I have further pursued my investigations of this subject, 

 and of the two alternatives I have submitted to you in respect to the 

 derivation of the alkaloid I produce by this process, I accept that which 

 assumes it to be a product of some hydro-carbon or hydro-carbons present 

 in the oil or fat employed. I have produced alkaloids by this process from 

 well-washed butter, the purest sperm, and olive oils ; and I now make the 

 general statement that there is present in all the fixed oils or fats, whether 

 of vegetable or animal origin, whether in the organism or removed from it, 

 a small quantity of one or more hydro-carbon oils, and that these, or at 

 least some of them, are homologous with benzol. 



Aet. LXXXI. — On the Cause of the Movements of Cam]phor when placed upon 



the Surface of Water. By AVilliam Skey. 



{Read, before the Wellington Fhilosopliical Society/, 31st August, 1878.] 



It has long since been known that camphor in small pieces describes rapid 

 and very eccentric movements when placed upon water, the surface of 

 which is free of oily matter. This phenomenon is so singular,* and is, 

 besides, so striking to him who for the first time witnesses it, that such an 

 one can hardly help feeling anxious to become acquainted with its cause, 



* I have since discovered that the liquid bi-sulphide of camphor behaves in this 

 respect like camphor. If the water used with it is quite clear from greasy matter, it 

 spreads in various directions by a series of explosive efforts ; but if the water contains a 

 minute quantity of grease (as it will do if especial precautions are not taken), the sulphide 

 of camjDhor, after a little while, rotates slowly round its centre, then rotating progressively 

 aster, it at last strikes off in a straight Une, leaving a greasy narrow streak behind, 

 which is permanent. 



a80 



