AUSTRALIAN MELALEUCAS AND THEIR ESSENTIAL OILS. 371 



Experimental.— The material was collected at Little 

 Swanport, on the east coast of Tasmania, and distilled in 

 June, 1908. The leaves and terminal branchlets were 

 alone used, and 316 Bbs. of material gave 8 ounces of oil, 

 equal to 0*158 per cent. The crude oil was of a dark lemon 

 yellow colour, and had an odour resembling the cineol- 

 pinene oils of the Melaleucas, as for instance that of M. 

 thymifolia. The crude oil had the following characters : — 



Specific gravity at 15° O = 0*9138. 



Optical rotation a = + 4*5° 



Refractive index at 20° C = 1*4703. 



Oineol (determined by the resorcinol method) = 61*5% 

 Saponification number of ester + free acid = 9*9. 

 Insoluble in 10 vols. 70 per cent., but soluble in 1 vol. 

 80 per cent, alcohol. 



This comparative insolubility is evidently due to the 

 presence oi the pinene and the sesquiterpene. 



For distillation 100 cc. were taken. The usual small 

 amount of acid water, and volatile aldehydes, were first 

 obtained, and these reminded strongly of valeric aldehyde. 

 Between 165 — 173° (corr.) 28 cc. distilled, and between 

 173 — 195° 52 cc. came over. The thermometer then quickly 

 rose to 245° and between that temperature and 265° 16 cc. 

 distilled. The specific gravity of the first fraction at 15° O. 

 - 0*8963; of the second = 0*9045; of the third = 0*9252. 

 The rotation of the first fraction a D = + 6*8°, of the second 

 == + 3*9°. The refractive index of the first fraction at 

 20° O. = 1*4621; of the second = 1*4630; of the third 

 = 1*4954. The cineol in the first fraction was removed by 

 resorcinol, the residue again rectified, and the portion 

 distilling below 158° O. utilised for the preparation of the 

 nitrosochloride. This substance was readily formed; it 

 was purified by dissolving in chloroform and precipitating 

 with methyl alcohol. It melted at 104° O. The active 



