C 4T2 ] 
The fir ft liquor that diftilled (lightly eftervefced 
with fpirit of fait, and changed fyrup of violets 
green, certain proofs of a volatile alkali. 
The iecond and third portion effervefced ftrongly 
with lpirit of fait, as did alfo the volatile fait that came 
over into the receiver, evident marks of its being a 
concentrated alkali. 
Here I muft obferve, that had this diftillation been 
condu&ed in a hurry, there would have been no 
concrete volatile alkali j for then this would have 
been confounded and diftolved in the firft liquor 
that came over. 
Had there been afufticient quantity of this Coral- 
line, I fhould firft have propofed to have taken off the 
calcareous fubftance, by an acid menftruum, and af- 
terwards wa(hed the membranaceous part fo clean from 
the acid, as not to change the fyrup of violets 
red. 
Then the diftillation of this part alone would have 
afforded a much larger proportion of empyreumatic 
oil, and volatile alkali, and but a very fmall quantity 
of caput mortuum. 
If you think thefe experiments of any ufe, you 
have my free leave to lay them before the Royal 
Society. 
I am, Sir, yours, &c. 
To John Ellis, Efq; 
in Grays Inn. 
Peter Woulfe. 
Doctor Pallas proceeds to prove that Corallines 
cannot be animals, as the * pores of their calcareous 
* Pori autem calcareae fubftantiae ita funt minuti, ut polypi in 
iis hofpitari nequeant. Pall.Eknch. p. 419. 
fubftances 
