200 Proceedings Columbia Biochemical Association [March, 



could be ascertained. After a period varying from one to several 

 hours, the vessel was opened and a sample of the water again ana- 

 lyzed. The residual oxygen in the vessel could thus be calculated; 

 and the difference between the first and second amounts gave the 

 quantity of oxygen consumed by the flounder during the experiment. 



By this method it was found that the relative rate of oxygen 

 consumption increased as the size of the flounder diminished. Thus, 

 it was found that, with the body weights varying as i8:6: i, the 

 oxygen consumption was in the ratio of i : 1.3 : 1.33. It was found, 

 also, that the consumption of food invariably caused an increase in 

 the oxygen intake by 25 to 30 percent. 



In the case of one small flounder, which weighed 3.75 gm,, it 

 was found that the oxygen consumption per hour showed great 

 regularity and a tendency to decrease in the course of a seven-day 

 fast, as may be seen from the f ollowing data : 



Date 



IX 5 

 6 



7 

 8 



9 

 10 

 II 

 12 



We observe a very abrupt drop in the oxygen consumption per 

 hour, on the first day of fasting, which then remains fairly con- 

 stant for the next three days. On the fourth and fifth days again 

 a rather rapid decrease is seen, the oxygen intake per hour being 

 now less than one half of that found 24 hr. after the last previous 

 feeding. 



The entire experiment lasted 171.5 hr., of which the flounder 

 spent fully one third in the respiration vessel. In that time it used 

 up a total of 56.5 c.c. of oxygen, The loss in body weight for the 

 same length of time was 0.32 gm. or 8.5 percent. It is noteworthy 

 that the amount of substance which could be oxidized by 56.5 c.c. 

 of oxygen is considerably less than the loss in body weight observed. 

 The fact is significant, especially if we recall that Pütter^ has main- 



5 Pütter : Zeitschr. f. allg. PhysioL, 1909, ix, p. 147. 



