ACTIVE  CONSTITUENTS  OF  ERGOT  OF  RYE.  197 
and  insoluble  in  pure  ether  and  chloroform.  They  form  salts 
by  neutralizing  acids,  which  (the  salts)  are  uncrystallizable  and 
mostly  deliquescent.  On  heating  their  solutions  with  liquor 
potassae  no  ammonia  is  given,  but  by  heating  the  solid  alka- 
loids with  soda  lime,  ammoniacal  vapors  were  abundantly 
evolved.  The  taste  of  the  alkaloids  is  slightly  bitter.  On  ig- 
niting the  solid  alkaloids,  each  swelled  up  with  the  disen- 
gaging of  an  odor  resembling  that  of  burning  flesh,  leaving 
a  carbonaceous  residue  which  finally  burned  away  without 
residue. 
Ecbolina  and  its  chloride  exhibited  the  following  reactions 
towards  reagents : 
Phospho-molybdic  acid  gave  a  flocculent,  canary  yellow 
precipitate. 
Bichloride  of  mercury,  a  white  precipitate. 
Bichloride  of  platinum,  a  deep  orange-colored  amorphous 
precipitate. 
Ter-chloride  of  gold,  a  light  chocolate-colored  amorphous 
precipitate. 
Tannin,  a  whitish  flocculent  precipitate,  soluble  in  alcohol. 
Ioduretted  iodide  of  potassium,  a  reddish-brown  precipitate. 
Iodo-hydrargyrate  of  potassium,  picric  acid,  and  ferro-cyanide 
of  potassium,  no  change. 
Tincture  of  iodine,  a  rusty  brown  precipitate. 
Chlorine  and  ammonia  caused  after  a  time  a  whitish  flocculent 
precipitate. 
Bromine  water,  a  canary-yellow  precipitate. 
Cyanide  of  potassium,  a  white  precipitate. 
In  bringing  the  solid  chloride  in  contact  with  concentrated 
sulphuric  acid,  solution  was  effected  with  effervescence,  and  the 
production  of  a  dull  blush-rose  color. 
Bichromate  of  potassa  and  sulphuric  acid  caused  effervescence 
and  solution,  which  ultimately  turned  green  without  intermediate 
play  of  colors. 
Ferro-cyanide  of  potassium  and  sulphuric  acid  produced  effer- 
vescence and  solution,  and  subsequently  a  yellow  precipitate. 
Nitric  acid  dissolved  the  salt  without  change. 
Reactions  of  Ergotina  and  its  Chloride. 
Bichloride  of  platinum,  no  precipitate. 
