ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. XXXV. 



bisulphite. The combination does not readily take place. The 

 aqueous portion, treating with caustic soda solution, separates 

 an oil which was afterwards steam distilled. As thus obtained 

 it is almost colourless, and has a very strong taste of peppermint, 

 and an odour of peppermint which becomes more marked on 

 diffusion. Its specific gravity was 0-9393 at t!°c: an d it boiled 

 at 224 - 225° C. Its rotation was 35° to the left, but probably 

 the constituent itself is inactive as a small portion of an aldehyde 

 having left rotation was detected. On reduction with metallic 

 sodium in alcoholic solution, a crystalline substance was obtained 

 which was but slightly soluble in alcohol and in ether, but exceed- 

 ingly soluble in chloroform; it melted at 155° - 156° C. and 

 crystallises in oblique prisms which polarise very well. This 

 peppermint constituent is not menthone, and is probably a new 

 ketone, a molecular determination gave 155, so that probably its 

 formula may eventually be found to be C 10 H 18 O. The second part 

 of the paper will deal with its chemical reactions and peculiarities. 



3. On the crystalline structure of gold nuggets from Klondyke, 

 Victoria and New Zealand," by Professor Liversidge, m.a., 

 ll.d., F.R.S. 



Sections of three nuggets from Klondyke were shown. The 

 crystal faces are comparatively small, and the nuggets have a 

 granular structure, as if built up of separate grains, of one or two 

 millimetres in diameter. They are also more fissured and contain 

 more cavities than usual. The sections of Victorian (Australian) 

 and New Zealand nuggets are also made up of small crystals, and 

 they present numerous small cavities after the removal of the 

 quartz and iron oxide by treatment with hydrofluoric and hydro- 

 chloric acids, so that the sections present quite a different appear- 

 ance to the very compact and largely crystallised nuggets from 

 West Australia. 1 



The following donations were laid upon the table and acknow 

 ledged : — 



See Journ. Eoy. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1896. 



