22 
Indian Forest Records. 
[VoL. IX 
boiled at ITO-lTSY^l mm. and had the following constants : — 
Dis® 0'9544 [a]o +10*4:8. In view, however, of the well-known 
difficulty of purifying substances of this nature too great reliance 
cannot be placed on these results. 
From the fraction of the neutral oil which boiled below 168°/29mm. 
a small quantity of oil was obtained which had a rose like odour. It 
could not be obtained pure but since it yielded a ketone on oxidation 
with chromic acid it was evidently an alcohol, possibly identical with 
that described by Roberts, (loc. cit. p. 1469.) 
The acid separated from the sodium carbonate solution A (see above) 
crystallised almost completely on keeping. After draining on porous 
porcelain it was recrystallised from methyl alcohol when it was found 
to melt at 61-62° and was identified as palmitic acid. 
The sodium hydroxide solution B was washed \vith ether, the so- 
lution saturated with carbon dioxide, when a small quantity (0‘2 per 
cent) of a semi-solid oil separated. The quantity was however insuffi- 
cient for examination. 
The alkaline solution C after removal of the alcohol was acidified 
and the liberated acids distilled in steam when a small quantity of a 
sparingly soluble oil passed over. The silver salt gave on analysis 
Ag=42-6 per cent, whereas C8H15O2 Ag requires Ag=^43-0 and. 
CjoHigOg Ag requires Ag— 39-0 per cent. The liquid acid was therefore 
in aU probability a mixture of octoic and decoic acids. 
[ 132 3 
