XXXIV. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



and the descent of the resulting progeny. A brief description 

 was given of certain inaugural ceremonies through which the 

 youths have to graduate in order to reach the status of aboriginal 

 manhood. Bull-roarers and message sticks were also dealt with, 

 and a cursory reference made to infanticide, abortion, and can- 

 nibalism — customs still practised in some districts where the 

 natives are in a comparatively wild state. 



2. "On the constituent of peppermint odour occurring in many 

 Eucalyptus oils — Part I.," by Henry G. Smith, f.c.s., 

 Assistant Curator, Technological Museum, Sydney. 



The first Eucalyptus oil was distilled by Dr. White in 1788, at 

 Sydney, and owing to the great resemblance between this oil and 

 that obtained from the peppermint, Mentha piperita, he named the 

 tree from which he had obtained the oil the "Peppermint Tree." 

 Its botanical name is Eucalyptus piperita. Since then many other 

 species of Eucalyptus have been found to have this peppermint 

 odour, and are generally known as "peppermints." The con- 

 stituent giving this odour has now been isolated. It occurs in 

 greatest amount in the oil obtained from the leaves of E. dives, 

 next in that of E. radiata, and in fair amount in the oils of several 

 other species. It is usually found in those Eucalyptus oils in 

 which the principal terpene is phellandrene, although this is not 

 always so, but generally there is an almost entire absence of 

 Eucalyptol in those oils in which it occurs most abundantly. The 

 crude oil of E. dives was taken for the preparation of this pepper- 

 mint constituent. The oil of this species has a specific gravity 

 ranging from 0-882 to 0888 at 15° C, and its optical rotation 

 varies from - 55*7 to - 63*9 in 100 mm. tube ; 20 per cent, of a 

 sample of this oil distilled between 227° and 240°, this portion 

 contains the peppermint constituent, as thus obtained it had a 

 specific gravity 0*9318 at 15° C, and its rotation was - 94°. For 

 commercial purposes it may be steam distilled, that is, if it is 

 found to be of special value. The peppermint constituent was 

 removed from the fraction 227° — 240° by agitating frequently 

 for about three weeks with a concentrated solution of sodium 



