In 1948 Guillermo Cruz-Sanchez1 described the pharmacology of Opuntia cylindrica and an alkaloid derived therefrom. In two other papers with Dr. Carlos Gutierrez-Noriega2t3 were reported the effects of oral administration of this alkaloid in doses varying from 5 to 11.5 g. per kilo to a total of thirty-four subjects, of whom two developed a brief psychotic state. The method of preparationof the alkaloid, some of its physical and chemical properties, the psychological changes, as well as the dosage of the alkaloid employed, suggested the possibility of the presence of mescaline. However, the material was never adequately purified and the laboratory facilities for satisfactory identification were unavailable. The only other reference to Opuntia cylindrica we have been able to find is in a review article by Bu~caino.~Through the courtesy of Dr. Vincente Zapata Ortiz of the University of San Marcos, Peru, an alcohol extract was sent us for examination. Further, through the courtesy of Dr. Leoncio Zapata, a physician on the staff of this hospital, we received several kilograms of the whole dried plant of Opuntia cylindrica. We have been able to identify the alkaloid present as mescaline, present in concentration of 0.9% of the whole dried plant. There is no more than a slight trace of additional alkaloids. Cusparia macrocarpa is a rutaceous plant indigenous to Brazil where the leaves and stems are used in folk medicine. As part of an investigation of Brazilian flora, we have examined this plant for alkaloids.The residue from an alcoholic extract of the leaves and stems2 was distributed between an aqueous phase, at various pH's, and ether, essentially following the general scheme used with Baljourodendron ~iedelianum.~ Further purification of the crude fractions was effected by chromatography on alumina.Crystalline material resulted only from that fraction obtained by continuous extraction of the aqueous phase at pH 2. This very weakly basic compound had the composition ClaH1103N. Its ultraviolet absorption (A, 246, 308, 319, 333 mp) was practically identical with that reported for evolitrine4 (I), and it formed a picrate with thesame melting point as reported4 for evolitrine picrate (201-202'). Direct comparison6 by ultraviolet and infrared absorption, and mixed melting point clearly established the identity of this alkaloid as evolitrine. In connection with studies on the comparison of organosilicon compounds with their carbon analogs, some reactions of triphenylethoxysilane have been examined.Alkoxytriphenylsilanes resemble alkoxytriphenylmethanes in one respect; they react with potassium metal to give triphenylsilylpotassiuni2 and triphenylmethylpotassium, 3 respectively. However, the reaction of triphenylethoxysilane with sodium does not give the silylsodium compound or hexaphenyldisilane. Under similar conditions, triphenylchlorosilane reacts with sodium to give high yields of hexaphenyldi~ilane.~When triphenylmethyl ethyl ether is treated with phenyllithium or with n-butyllithium, 9 phenylfluorene is formed on hydroly~is.~