44 
ME. W. DE LA ELT: AXD M. H. MCLLEE OX 
pierced with holes ; some specimens also exhibiting a stalactitic formation. The holes 
in the fragments of this resin are produced by a small beetle of the tribe “ Curculio,” 
which apparently feeds upon, and lives in this resin, as it oozes in a semifluid state from 
the branch of the tree. We had no means of ascertaining whether or not this insect 
causes the secretion of the resin by puncturing the branches of the tree, in the same 
manner as the Coccus ficus does for the purpose of depositing its ova. The colour of 
the gum varies from a dirty yellow or red, almost to white. It is solid and brittle, but 
some of the larger pieces exhibit, especially in the interior, a degree of toughness which 
renders it difficult to powder. It is opake, the fracture being dull and wax-hke. 
At a temperature of about 30° C. (86° Fahr.) this resin becomes soft, when it resem- 
bles gutta percha, being plastic without becoming sticky, provided it has been previously 
wetted with water. In its natural condition this resin possesses neither taste nor odour ; 
but when heated it evolves a wax-like odour, and on being masticated e’^inces a charac- 
teristic taste. 
In hot or cold water it is perfectly insoluble, but warm alcohol, ether, oil of tui-pen- 
tine, and other solvents of resinous substances dissolve it with facility. Solutions of 
caustic alkalies have no effect on it, even when aided by heat. 
When left for some time with cold alcohol of ordinaiy strength, the greater part of the 
resin is dissolved, whilst a white flocculent substance remains undissolved. By employ- 
ing this solvent, we succeeded in separating several distinct classes of substances from the 
Ficus resin. The constituent, readily soluble in cold alcohol, formed an amorphous re- 
sinous substance, when separated from the solvent by means of distillation or precipitation 
with water. The white insoluble part, when further treated with boiling alcohol, is in 
part dissolved, particles of bark, sand, and other accidental impurities remaining undis- 
solved. The alcoholic solution of the white substance deposits, on cooling, a white 
crystalline mass, which by repeated crystallization may be obtained m beautiful scaly 
crystals. From the residue, insoluble in boiling alcohol, bisulphide of carbon or chloro- 
form extract a small quantity of caoutchouc. 
A quantitative experiment by the above method yielded the folloudng approximate 
per-centage result : — 
Kesinous substance, readily soluble in cold alcohol ... 73 
White crystalline substances, insoluble in cold alcohol, but 
soluble in warm alcohol 14 
Caoutchouc, fragments of bark, sand, and loss . ... 13 
The resinous substance, readily soluble in cold alcohol, which forms, according to this 
analysis, by far the principal constituent of our resin, offered but little inducement for 
chemical investigation. However, a number of experiments were made, which, although 
unproductive in their results, may serve to characterize this substance, which possesses 
peculiarities distinguishing it from other bodies of like origin. In order to identify it 
hereafter, we propose to call this resin Sycoretin. At the same time we must state that 
