122 



Selections. [No. 7, new series. 



" The oil as it runs from the press is of a very dark red colour. 

 After standing some time it deposits a portion of the colouring 

 matter, also a portion of the semi-solid fat, and' in cold weather 

 this is deposited to a large extent ; and is only partially taken up 

 upon increase of temperature. The colour of the oil obtained by 

 pressure is one great objection to its general use, and is very dif- 

 ficult to remove ; in bleaching it, at least ten or fifteen per cent, 

 of the oil is lost, a portion of which may be recovered, and used 

 in the manufacture of soap, for which purpose cotton seed oil is 

 better adapted than for any other purpose. It is a drying oil, con- 

 sequently not fit for lubricating, and when burnt gives a smoky 

 flame, and forms rapidly a crust upon the wick. Others say that 

 it answers for both purposes ; but all I have met with, upon being 

 used practically for lubricating or burning, gave unsatisfactory 

 results. 



" A very good soap is made from it in New Orleans for com- 

 mon purposes : but I think that a soap in every respect equal to 

 the imported Castille could be cheaply made with it. 



" The dark colour of the oil obtained by pressure is due to the 

 presence of a dark resinous substance, presenting itself in small 

 dots throughout the seed. These may readily be seen by examin- 

 ing a section of the seed with a lens, or even the naked eye. 



" The hull and attached fibre are useful for paper stock, and 

 the cake left after the extraction of the oil is nearly as valuable a 

 food for cattle as that of linseed. — Pharm. Jour. Vol. 16, "p. 335. 



Order Radiata.* 



Class HydromeduscB. 



All Medusae are naked jelly-like animals, with a body some- 

 times disc, sometimes bell-shaped, the edge of which is often fur- 

 • nished with threads, and which by its alternate contraction and ex- 



* We are indebted to Captain Toynbee of the Gloriana, for 'his translation 

 from a German work descriptive of various families of pelagian animals. It was 

 made by him for his own nse during the interesting researches he has been 

 engaged in cam >ng °" tue ^ ast 3 or 4 years among these tribes during his 

 voyages to and fro between India and England. 



