PROXIMATE PRINCIPLES OF SOME OF THE LICHENS. 
71 
I. 
II. 
III. 
C 60-82 
6O-75 
60-83 
H 6-27 
6T5 
6-27 
O 32-91 
33-10 
33-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
This substance when distilled with caustic potash gave off alcoholic vapours, 
leaving orcin in the retort. It is certainly an ether, but of what acid I am unable 
to determine. These analyses do not agree with the formula of (beta) orsellic ether. 
It is not improbable therefore that it is the ether of (beta) orsellesic acid, but this is 
a point which can only be determined when that acid has been subjected to analysis. 
Roccellinin. 
The Cape of Good Hope lichen contains a much larger quantity of roccellinin 
than of (beta) orsellic acid. The most convenient mode of extracting the roccellinin 
is by drying the gelatinous mass precipitated from the lime solution of the lichen by 
muriatic acid, and then boiling it for a considerable time in strong spirits. The 
orsellic acid is generally converted into the ether compound, while the roccellinin 
remains unchanged. On evaporating the solution nearly to dryness, and then treat- 
ing the residue with boiling water, the ether compound is readily removed, while the 
roccellinin remains undissolved. By boiling the roccellinin in a large quantity of 
strong spirits it also dissolves, and on the cooling of the liquid it is deposited in long 
white hair-like crystals. By repeated crystallizations out of strong spirits, aided by 
a little animal charcoal, the roccellinin is rendered perfectly pure. It consists of 
soft hair-like crystals of a silky lustre, and about half an inch long, usually arranged 
in stars. If these crystals, when treated with hypochlorite of lime, acquire a reddish 
tinge, they are impure, from containing a little adhering orsellic acid. When quite 
pure, hypochlorite of lime gives them a greenish-yellow colour, which is permanent. 
Roccellinin requires a considerable quantity of boiling alcohol to dissolve it, and it 
is but very moderately soluble either in cold alcohol or in ether. It dissolves readily 
in the fixed alkalies and in ammonia. Its solutions remain quite colourless. When 
roccellinin is boiled in baryta water no carbonate of baryta is deposited, and a hot 
solution of caustic potash is equally inoperative upon it. When it is boiled in alcohol, 
saturated with muriatic acid gas, no ether is produced. 
I. 0‘406 grm. substance dried at 212 °Fahr., gave with chromate of lead 0-9328 COg 
and 0-1785 water. 
II. 0-351 grm. gave 0-807 carbonic acid and 0-156 water. 
III. 0-4705 grm. gave r079 carbonic acid and 0-205 water. 
IV. 0-4695 grm. gave T075 carbonic acid and 0-1965 water. 
Calculated numbers. 
I. 
II. 
III. 
IV. 
38 C 2904-5300 
62-91 
62-66 
62-67 
62-54 
62-44 
17H 212-1515 
4-59 
4-88 
4-90 
4-84 
4-65 
15 0 1500-0000 
32-50 
32-46 
32-43 
32-62 
33-01 
4616-6815 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
