By means of hydrogenation, oxidation, and isomerization experiments it has been established that the chemistry of veatchine and garryine parallels the chemistry of atisine and isoatisine.Dehydrogenation of the Garrya alkaloids yields a base C16H15N, which, on the basis of comparison of ultraviolet spectra, might be a substituted phenanthridine. 1-Methyl-7-ethyl phenanthrene has also been obtained. The chemistry and structure of the aconite and Garrya alkaloids is discussed in the light of the present work.