'74  ON  THE  CAMPHENIC  SERIES. 
of  soda,  conformably  to  M.  Cannizaro's  method  of  converting 
the  aldehydes  into  alcohols.    It  furnished  camphol,  C20H18O2. 
The  following  is  the  way  in  which  I  isolated  this  last  sub- 
stance. After  having  opened  the  tubes  in  which  the  reaction 
was  operated,  I  precipitated  with  water*  the  camphory  matter. 
I  compressed  it,  purified  it  by  sublimation,  then  heated  it  to 
200°  C.  (302°  F.)  with  stearic  acid.  In  these  conditions  ordi- 
nary camphor  does  not  form  a  neutral  combination  in  apprecia- 
ble proportion,  whilst  camphol  forms  a  great  quantity  of  stearic 
camphol,  which  is  easily  isolated  and  purified.  The  body  thus 
prepared  possesses  the  normal  composition  of  C56H52Q4.  De- 
composed by  soda  lime  at  120°  C.  (248°  F.)  it  readily  regener- 
ates camphol,  C20H18O2,  with  its  composition  and  its  most  es- 
sential physical  properties.  The  camphol  thus  regenerated  con- 
tains : — ■ 
0=77-6 
H=11.8 
The  formula  C20H18O2,  requires  :— 
C  =  77-9 
H=1L7 
These  results,  which  it  is  necessary  to  complete  by  the  study  of 
the  rotatory  powers  and  by  that  of  the  product  of  the  oxida- 
tion of  camphene,  will  establish  between  the  various  camphors 
and  the  natural  carburets  of  hydrogen  a  collection  of  experi- 
mental relations  founded  essentially  on  the  comparative  study  of 
the  corresponding  molecular  states. — Chemist,  from  Oomptes  Men- 
dus,  August  6,  1858. 
ON  HAUTLE,  OR  ANIMAL  BREAD  OF  THE  MEXICANS, 
By  M.  Guerin-Meneville. 
In  the  Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Imperiale  Zoologique  d' 'Accli- 
mation, M.  Guerin-Me'neville  has  published  a  very  interesting 
paper  on  a  sort  of  bread  which  the  Mexicans  call  Hautle,  and 
which  is  made  of  the  eggs  of  three  species  of  hemipterous  in- 
sects belonging  to  the  group  of  water-bugs. 
*  Water  retains  in  solution  the  soda  salt  of  a  peculiar  acid,  camphic 
acid,  C20H16O4l. 
