VITAL LIMIT OF EXSICCATION. 



43 



Reptilia. 



Five reptiles were used: the garter snake, Thannophis radix 

 (Baird) ; the painted turtle, Chrysemys marginata Agassiz; the 

 American chameleon, Anolis carollnensis Cuvier; the horned 

 "toad," Phrynosoma cornutinn Harlan ; the desert lizard, Scelo- 

 porus spinosus floridanus Wiegmann. Only one snake was ex- 

 siccated and it died before removal from the exsiccation chamber. 



The turtles were collected from the Madison lakes and were 

 kept in a vivarium until used. As the shell of a turtle adds con- 

 siderable weight to the body, the water content is not as high, and 

 exsiccation cannot be carried as far. The turtles were revived 

 from exsiccation by removal to an aquarium. Turtle No. I 

 lost all activity after exsiccation. Its eyes were sunken, and the 

 skin became very dry. The turtle appeared to be dead, but when 

 cut open its heart was still beating. 



The chameleons, horned " toads," and desert lizards were pro- 

 cured from a collector in Texas. The same method of exsicca- 

 tion was employed as in the preceding experiments. No food 

 was given. The chameleons were exsiccated at a comparatively 

 rapid rate. Their skin became shrivelled,, and eyes sunken. The 

 exsiccation of the horned "toads" and desert lizards was very 

 slow. The dry air apparently had no injurious effect upon them 

 until a few days previous to death. At that time they gasped 



TABLE VI. 



TURTLE, Chrysemys marginata Agassiz. 



