XIV. ABSTRACT OP PROCEEDINGS. 



inferior oils might pass the test, and they suggest that if the pro- 

 vision was made that a Eucalyptus oil should contain fifty per 

 cent, of eucalyptol in addition to the other tests given in the 

 Pharmacopoeia that the specific gravity test might be reduced to 

 0-900 - 0*925. The presence of such a large quantity of eudesmol 

 in the oil may probably account for the peculiarity of this oil, as 

 the low specific gravity is evidently caused by the presence of a 

 terpene of low specific gravity, the eucalyptol when isolated being 

 found to have the usual specific gravity of that substance. The 

 importance of this matter of specific gravity was pointed out 

 because most probably the oil will be eventually distilled in large 

 quantities, when it is expected that it will be obtained as a bye- 

 product in connection with the extraction of myrticolorin. Three 

 methods were described in the paper for the preparation of 

 eudesmol. The authors also show that the presence of such a 

 large percentage of eudesmol in the oil, prevents to a very large 

 extent the reaction for eucalyptol with phosphoric acid, and that 

 the method could not be used for the quantitative determination 

 of eucalyptol in the crude oil of this species. The oil of that 

 Stringybark called by the authors Brown Stringy bark, (E. 

 capitellata) was found to resemble much that of the previous 

 species, but does not appear to contain eudesmol. The oil of the 

 White Stringybark (E. eugenioidesj answers all the requirements 

 of the British Pharmacopoeia. 



2. "On Current observations on the Canadian-Australian route," 

 by Capt. Campbell Hepworth, R.M.S. Aorangi. 

 This paper purposed to shew by observations of ocean current 

 made during sixty-four passages between Australia and British 

 Columbia in the liners Aorangi, Warrimoo, and Miowera, the 

 general set and strengths of the currents which are experienced, 

 according to the season of the year, by vessels making the passage 

 between these two colonies. The paper was illustrated by twelve 

 charts, one for each month of the year, on which was delineated 

 each current observation recorded, amounting to several thousand 



