230  Constituents  of  some  American  Plants.  {AmMayy*i887arm' 
Catalpa  bignonioides,  Walter. — The  seeds  were  examined  by  Fred. 
K.  Brown,  Ph.  G.,  who  demonstrated  the  presence  of  resin,  fixed  oil, 
tannin  and  sugar,  and  on  distilling  with  water,  obtained  a  distillate 
having  somewhat  of  a  rancid  odor.  Two  crystalline  bodies  were  ob- 
tained by  treating  the  powdered  seeds  with  a  mixture  of  ether,  alcohol 
and  ammonia,  acidulating  the  concentrated  filtrate,  removing  oil  and 
other  impurities  with  ether,  neutralizing  with  ammonia,  and  agitating 
with  a  mixture  of  ether  and  chloroform ;  on  evaporating  the  ethereal 
solution,  needles  were  left,  which  were  soluble  in  alcohol,  ether  and 
chloroform,  insoluble  in  water,  almost  tasteless  and  after  boiling  with 
dilute  sulphuric  acid  did  not  reduce  Fehling's  solution.  The  aqueous 
liquid,  left  after  treatment  with  ether  and  chloroform,  yielded  crystals, 
which  must  have  contained  ammonia  sulphate,  and  possibly  also  a 
glucoside,  since  after  boiling  with  sulphuric  acid,  a  reaction  with 
Fehling's  solution  was  obtained. 
Ilex  opaea,  Aiton. — On  treating  the  leaves  with  benzin,  Walter  A* 
Smith,  Ph.  G.,  obtained  1.2  per  cent,  extract,  of  which  .088  was 
volatile  and  had  an  acrid  mustard  like  odor  ;  the  remainder  consisted 
of  fat  and  .152  wax.  Ether  extracted  4.5  per  cent.  .5  of  which  was 
soluble  in  water,  the  remainder  being  resin  soluble  in  alcohol ;  the 
aqueous  solution  had  a  bitter  taste,  and  from  its  behavior  to  Fehling's 
liquid  appears  to  contain  a  glucoside.  Tannin  and  chlorophyll  were 
found  in  the  alcoholic  tincture.  The  leaves  yielded  4.5  per  cent,  of 
ash. 
Gymnocladus  canadensis,  Lamarck. — Samuel  S.  Mell,  Ph.  G.,  ob- 
served that  the  seeds  weigh  on  the  average  30  grains,  contain  8.5  per 
cent,  of  moisture,  and  yield  2.75  per  cent,  of  ash.  Petroleum  benzin 
extracts  about  10  per  cent,  of  fixed  oil,  which  is  yellowish,  saponifi- 
able,  and  of  the  spec.  grav.  *919.  Ether  extracts  a  little  wax,  fat  and 
resin.  The  alcoholic  extract  amounts  to  3.25  per  cent,  and  contains 
a  little  tannin  and  a  small  quantity  of  glucoside  which  can  be  removed 
from  the  aqueous  solution  by  chloroform,  and  which  appears  to  be 
present  also  in  the  immature  fruit ;  it  has  a  peculiar  odor  and  an  acrid 
burning  taste.  The  seeds  contain  also  mucilage,  starch  and  albumin- 
oids. 
