106 MR. EDWARD SCHUNCK ON SOME 



with alcohol, and lastly treated as before with boiling 

 water, which left the pectic acid undissolved. The filtered 

 liquid left_, on evaporation,, a residue of parapectic acid, 

 having only a faint yellowish tinge, like that of the purest 

 gum. It did not differ in composition from that prepared 

 by the process first described, proving that the chloride of 

 lime produced no decomposing effect, but merely served 

 to destroy and remove the colouring-matter. 



I shall now proceed to give a short account of the pro- 

 perties and composition of the various substances the pre- 

 paration of which has been just described. 



Cotton-Wax. 



There can be no doubt that this substance must be 

 classed with the waxes, bodies which are distinguished by 

 their insolubility in water and alkaline liquids, their 

 sparing solubility in alcohol and ether, and their high 

 melting-point. Indeed it so closely resembles in many 

 respects the better-known vegetable waxes, such as the 

 cerosine prepared by Avequin from the leaves of the sugar- 

 cane, and the wax from the leaves of the Carnauba palm 

 {Corypha cerifera), examined by Branded and Lewy f^ that 

 its identity with one of these may be suspected. Until it 

 has been ascertained whether it is really a distinct member 

 of the class to which it belongs, or not, I think the name 

 Cotton-Wax which I have given it will suffice to dis- 

 tinguish it from other nearly allied bodies. It has the 

 following properties : — 



It is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol and ether. 

 If a concentra.ted solution in boiling alcohol be allowed to 

 cool, the greatest part of the substance is deposited, causing 

 the liquid to assume the appearance of a thick white jelly, 

 like starch-paste, which, when examined under the micro - 



* Philosophical Transactions for iSii, p. 261. 

 t Journ. f. pralit. Cheniie, B. xxxvi. S. 65. 



