44 
ACTION OF ETHER ON GALLS. 
a light green coloring matter soluble in ether, and probably 
also in the other liquids, but with a more especial affinity for 
the former. 
These data will suffice to understand the different results 
stated in the former part of the paper. Ordinary ether, acting 
on powdered galls, dissolves tannin, the ether present taking 
up at the same time the green coloring matter, and the alco- 
hol the brown; the quantity the latter dissolved being propor- 
tional to the relative amount of its appropriate solvent. No water 
being present, the liquid tannin of M. Beral is not formed, and 
hence there is no separation of an oily liquid. The addition of 
water affording the necessary prerequisite for the formation of 
this compound, it is consequently produced on the addition of 
a small quantity of that liquid, and being less soluble gives 
rise, on repose, to a separation into two parts. The color of 
these two portions is different, the upper consisting principally 
of ether, holding in solution some liquid tannin, retains the 
green coloring matter, while the brown coloring matter, being 
insoluble in this fluid, goes with its solvent water to be pre- 
sent in the oleaginous liquids. The addition of an excess 
gives rise to the formation of an additional layer, consisting 
of a solution of liquid tannin in water, together with some 
ether and green and yellow coloring matter, this latter layer 
being produced at the expense of both the other layers, and is 
hence intermediate in qualities between them. 
Employing ether, deprived of alcohol by previous wash- 
ing, and in which water has replaced this liquid, a liquor is pro- 
duced in which there is present both "liquid tannin" and anhy- 
drous tannin. If the water present be sufficient to form more of 
this liquid tannin than can be dissolved by the ether, then there 
results a deposit of the excess as a dense oily liquid; but when 
not sufficient in quantity the addition of more water immedi- 
ately produces the result, and we then have the liquid tannin 
separating on repose. The water in the washed ether being 
small in amount, dissolves but a small quantity of brown co- 
loring matter, from whence it results that the oily liquid pos- 
