8 
Indian Forest Records. 
[VoL. IX 
of a member of this series in the oil from P. lambertiana since it is 
stated to contain a small quantity of an aliphatic hydrocarbon which 
was not identified. 
The opinion is now generally held that the petroleum oils are of 
organic origin. In view of the fact that the remains of coniferae have 
been found in the early strata it would appear to be possible that they 
were, at any rate in certain areas, one of the sources of the petroleum 
now found there. The isolation of two members of the paraffin series, 
which are also present in American petroleums from the oleo-resins of 
coniferae, would tend to support this view and it is highly desirable that 
the oils from some of the more primitive members of this species, 
such as the Araucarice, should be carefully examined. 
Experimental. 
The oil used in this investigation was pale yellow in colour with a 
smell resembling that of American turpentine. It was foimd to have the 
following constants : — D|^ 0'857, 1A627, [a]^+40‘42°, acid 
value nil *, saponification value I’ll, saponification value after acetyla- 
tion 9’11. A quantity of the oil was distilled under diminished pressure 
(200mm.) when the following fractions resulted : — 
No. 
B. P. 
Yield per cent. 
I 
109-111° 
61-5 
11 
111-130° 
310 
111 
residue by difference 
7-6 
Fractions I. and II. were distilled under the ordinary pressure 
(707mm.) using a Young four pear still head when the following 
fractions were obtained : — 
No. 
B. P. 
Yield per cent. 
1 
153-155° 
87-9 
11 
155-160° 
0-6 
111 
160-165° 
0-8 
IV 
165-170' 
0-6 
V 
above 170° (by difierence) 
2-6 
* The absence of any free acids removes the iwssibility of undecane having been 
formed by the decarboxylation of a fatty acid during the distillation. 
[ 118 ] 
