ON  THE  BERRIES  AND  LEWES  OF  ILEX  OPACA.  313 
the  presence  of  either  tannic  or  gallic  acid  ;  but,  as  heat  caused 
no  change,  and,  upon  standing,  a  dark  olive-green  substance  was 
deposited,  it  was  inferred  that  tannic  acid  alone  was  present, 
and  of  that  variety  which  produces  green  precipitates,  with  so- 
lutions of  the  per-salts  of  iron. 
A  portion  of  the  dregs  left  from  a  decoction  were  heated  for 
some  time  in  a  weak  solution  of  carbonate  of  soda,  then  filtered ; 
the  resulting  liquid  produced  a  copious  flocculent  precipitate 
upon  the  addition  of  chlorohydric  acid,  which  was  entirely  dis- 
solved by  acetic  acid?  indicating  pectin  to  be  one  of  the  constitu- 
ents. 
Two  ounces  of  the  berries  were  introduced  into  a  retort,  con- 
taining one  pint  of  a  strong  solution  of  chloride  of  sodium,  and 
distilled  until  six  fluid  ounces  had  passed  over ;  the  distillate 
possessed  strongly  the  odor,  and  to  a  slight  degree  the  taste  of 
the  fruit,  but  no  evidences  of  a  volatile  oil  could  be  obtained. 
A  quantity  of  the  seeds  separated  from  the  surrounding  mass 
were  bruised  and  treated  with  boiling  water,  which  produced  a 
slight  coagulation  ;  a  solution  of  bichloride  of  mercury  added  to 
this  caused  a  white  curdy  precipitate,  proving  the  presence  of 
albumen. 
Three  ounces  of  the  bruised  berries  were  macerated  in  cold 
water  twenty -four  hours,  then  strained  ;  this  process  was  repeated 
several  times,  until  the  bitterness  seemed  nearly  all  exhausted ; 
the  resulting  infusions  were  then  mixed,  a  solution  of  subacetate 
of  lead  added,  filtered,  and  a  stream  of  sulphohydric  acid  passed 
through  it ;  the  sulphuret  of  lead  was  then  allowed  to  precipitate, 
after  which  it  was  again  filtered  and  evaporated  to  the  consistence 
of  an  extract.  One  half  of  this  extract  was  dissolved  in  two 
fluid  ounces  of  distilled  water,  acidulated  with  acetic  acid,  then 
added  to  a  cream  of  lime,  and  after  standing  for  some  time 
thrown  on  a  filter  and  allowed  to  drain.  The  precipitate  was 
next  washed  and  dried,  after  which  it  was  treated  repeatedly 
with  boiling  alcohol,  and  the  alcohol  evaporated  to  dryness.  This 
process  was  unattended  with  any  notable  results. 
The  other  half  of  the  extract,  prepared  in  the  last  experiment, 
was  dissolved  in  a  small  quantity  of  distilled  water,  poured  into 
a  bottle,  of  which  it  filled  about  one-third,  treated  with  an  ex- 
cess of  the  weaker  solution  of  ammonia,  and  afterwards  re- 
