ON THE AROMA OF THE JONQUIL. 
55 
consisted of small collections of crystals. They diffused very 
little odour, and this difference was still more perceptible in 
the contents of the third retort. It should also be remarked, 
that after each treatment the product of the distillation was 
less abundant. The third being very trifling I did not push 
the treatment with ether further, and had recourse to alcohol. 
This afforded a tincture of a darker colour, being of a brownish 
tint. This was likewise distilled, and a few yellow mammil- 
lary masses, resembling those above described, were obtained, 
and also a somewhat consistent brown oil, which when 
heated, gave out a disagreeable smell like that of fish oil. 
It appears evident from these experiments that the aroma 
of the jonquil resides in the oily product combined with the 
ether of the first treatment. At the same time, to verify 
whether the concrete substance was in itself odorous, I first 
washed it with ether and afterwards heated it with boiling 
alcohol. It was completely dissolved, but on cooling, some 
gelatinous flakes separated, which when collected on a filter, 
were found to be white and inodorous; they proved to be 
wax. The alcoholic solution was evaporated and the mamil- 
lary substance obtained, with its primary characters, but on 
being drained and then dried in the air was found to be desti- 
tute of odour. 
Hence, the aroma of this flower resides in the oil obtained 
on the first treatment with ether. But it remains to be ascer- 
tained why it cannot be procured by any of the ordinary me- 
thods. I am not at present prepared to answer this defini- 
tively, as I have not made a sufficient examination of the 
subject, but in the mean time I may state that this oil is in 
very small quantities, and is in all probability readily altered. 
I am even inclined to consider the concrete substance as a re- 
sult of an alteration, on the following grounds. When the 
first etherial tincture has deposited this concrete substance, 
and on evaporation furnishes only a trace of oil, the last resi- 
due is a butter-like matter which becomes liquid by the mere 
heat of the hand. It may be preserved in this state for seve- 
ral days, but at last grows harder, does not melt even at 212° 
