A METHOD OF IDENTIFICATION OF SOME HARDWOODS. 243 
tioned reagents were found to be most satisfactory. Since 
the whole method is essentially one of comparison, the 
exact details are unimportant provided the same conditions 
as to quantities and concentrations are applied throughout. 
Oare was taken that the shavings did not include any kinoid 
material from the ‘gum-veins’ which are very numerous in 
certain Hucalypts. 
In comparing three pale coloured timbers, which are 
often sold under the name of Mountain Ash or Tasmanian 
Oak, e.g., H. Delegatensis, the Southern Mountain Ash of 
New South Wales, and the Gum-topped Stringybark of 
Victoria; H. obliqua, Messmate or Stringybark, and EH. 
regnans, the Giant Gum, it was found that, as a general 
rule E, regnans gavea much lighter colouration with ferric 
chloride than E. Delegatensis. The latter timber also gave 
a darker colour with caustic potash than H. regnans. E. 
obliqua gave, in the specimens examined, a darker colour- 
ation, more blue-black in colour, with ferric chloride than 
either of the other two species. 
Turning now toa group of timbers which are at times 
difficult to separate, such as H. microcorys, Tallow-wood; 
HE. maculata, Spotted Gum; and H. pilularis, Blackbutt; it 
was found that H. maculata gave practically no colouration 
with ferric chloride, whereas the other two gave a very. 
deéided reaction. The extract in the case of H. maculata 
was clear, the others were inclined to become turbid. The 
dffierence between HE. microcorys and E. pilularis was not 
so marked, but with the addition of lime water to the 
diluted extract, it was found that H. microcorys gave a 
pink colour whilst H. pilularis was more brownish. 
Comparing three fairly open-grained, red-coloured Kuca- 
lypts between which there is liable to be confusion, EH. 
resinifera, Mahogany; EH. saligna, Sydney Blue Gum; and 
EK. marginata, Jarrah; it was found that EH. resinifera gave 
