VITAL LIMIT OF EXSICCATION. 



TABLE III. 



MEAL WORM, Tenebrio molitor Linn. 



Amphibia. 



Two species of the Amphibia were used : the leopard frog, 

 Rana pipiens (Schreber),. and the salamander, Ambystoma punc- 

 tatum (Baird). The frogs and salamanders were collected at 

 various times during the year and were kept in a vivarium until 

 used. Two or three specimens were exsiccated at a time, but 

 individual records were kept. After extreme exsiccation neither 

 frogs nor salamanders showed signs of life. There was not a re- 

 flex action to indicate that they were alive, though the temperature 

 was 20 to 22 C. After they had been placed in water, following 

 removal from the exsiccation chamber, during an hour they had 

 always revived enough to swim. During one experiment weights 

 were taken of a salamander to show how soon the weight lost 

 could be regained. Within 24 hours the animal had regained 97.7 

 per cent, of the weight lost by the body during exsiccation. 



The results of the experiments with salamanders, with nine 

 individuals, show : ( i ) salamanders were exsiccated to 47 per 

 cent, of their body weight without loss of vitality; (2) sala- 

 manders gave up water easily and regained water quickly when 

 returned to their natural environment. 



