

NOTES ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF FUCUS SPERM ATOZOIDS. 12J 



again in from twenty-five to forty minutes, for collection in or 

 about the tube. 



The following substances made up in sea water were used in 

 the concentrations noted: 



Substance. Concentrations. 



Lactic acid i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Malic acid i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Butyric acid i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Citric acid i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Potassium oxalate (K.C->On) . . . i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Ethyl butyrate 0.08%, 0.008% 



Urea i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Sodium potassium tartrate i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Ethyl alcohol 95%, 9-5%. 0.95%, 0.095% 



Cane sugar i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Peptone 2%, 0.2%, 0.02%, 0.002% 



Potassium hydroxide i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol, o.oooi Mol 



Hydrochloric acid i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol, o.oooi Mol 



Potassium nitrate i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Diabasic potassium phosphate., i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Potassium iodide o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



Ammonium sulphate 0.6 Mol, 0.06 Mol, 0.006 Mol, 0.0006 Mol 



Hydrogen peroxide 3%, 0.3%, 0.03% 



Sodium sulphate i.o Mol, o.i Mol, o.oi Mol, o.ooi Mol 



No reactions which could be attributed to chemotaxy were 

 observed with any of the above substances except the acids. 



It was found that with a molecular solution of the organic 

 acids in the capillary tube the spermatozoids were killed in the 

 course of a few minutes. Where o.i Mol acid was used there 

 was in some cases a collection of spermatozoids around the 

 mouth of the tube apparently attached to the cover glass or slide 

 by one cilium and these vibrated slowly. This collection in a 

 few cases was visible to the naked eye after an hour as a yellow 

 halo about the mouth of the tube. With o.oi Mol solution in 

 some of the trials there was a collection of the spermatozoids in 

 the tube after 45 minutes or more; o.ooi Mol had no effect. 

 The accumulation around the mouth of the tube containing o.i 

 Mol acid and the collection in the tube containing o.oi Mol 

 acid only occurred when sea water was used in which the sper- 

 matozoids were very active and numerous. 



Such results might be interpreted as cases of chemotaxy. 



