xiv. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



geographical distribution. The climates of Australia and 

 Mauritius are discussed, and the occurrence of heavy rains 

 at sea during drought periods, the retreat of glaciers during 

 cold winters, and the diminution in the number of cyclones 

 during sunspot minima, are ascribed to the same cause, 

 namely, the feebler circulation of the atmosphere due to 

 the diminution in the amount of heat received from the 

 sun during sunspot minima. An index to literature and 

 tables of earthquake and eruption statistics follow. 



Remarks were made by the Chairman, Prof. David, Dr. 

 Walter Spencer, and Prof. Knibbs. 



2. " On the absence of Gum, and the presence of a new 

 Diglucoside in the Kinos of the Eucalypts," by Henry 

 G. Smith, f.c.s., Assistant Curator, Technological 

 Museum. 



In this pa pei-, which is the lirst of a series dealing with 

 Eucalyptus kinos, the author shows that the supposed gum 

 occurring in many Eucalyptus kinos is not gum but a 

 peculiar tannin diglucoside. The insolubility in alcohol of 

 this substance seems to have been the only reason for con- 

 sidering it to be gum. Professor Wiesner 1 stated that it 

 was closely allied to Acacia gum, and J. H. Maiden 2 later 

 formed one of his Eucalyptus kino groups (the Gummy 

 Group) upon its presence. It does not appear possible to 

 obtain it in a crystallised condition, nor could it be removed 

 from aqueous solution by miscible solvents. It was 

 obtained in as pure a condition as possible by repeated pre- 

 cipitation by alcohol from concentrated aqueous solutions. 

 When dried and powdered, it was of a cinnamon colour, 

 and this colour was not removed by boiling with animal 

 charcoal. It is very soluble in water, and when boiled 

 with acid for some time a k ' kino red " is formed in 



1 Abst. Pharm. Jourri. [3] 2, 1871. 

 - Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 1899 and 1891. 



