32 
Hence the rational formula for this fossil resin 
would seem to be 
Calculated. Found. 
C 80 = 480. — 87.273 — 87.13 
H 70 = 70. — 12.727 — 12.86 
550. 
This is of course quite an unexpected result, al¬ 
though the rational formula for none of these fossil 
resins has previously been determined. Other carbo- 
hydrogen substances have however been described with 
very high formulae, e. g. Melene and Cerene. The for¬ 
mula for the former is C 60 H 60 — and for the latter C 54 
H 54 . Moreover both of the substances, like that which 
we have analyzed, have many of the properties of Pa¬ 
raffine, and form compounds with chlorine. 
There are two objections to reducing this formula 
to c 4 o H 35 . The first is that it gives an uneven number 
of hydrogen atoms, and secondly that in the first bro¬ 
mine compound it requires one half an atom (Br j; ) of 
12 
bromine. Laurent and others have however expressed 
half atoms in various formulae. 
The End. 
