130 



URINE OF CIIELONIANS. 



Name of animal. 



Specific gravities. 



Snapping Turtle (C/tcfoniira serpentina) 

 Salt-water Terrapin {Emys terrapin) 

 Emys terrapin, deprived of food and drink 40 days 

 Emys set rata " " " 17 " 



ti tt tt it i)n tt 



it tt tt tt 99 (( 



tt a tt a 31 <( 



it ti tt tt do ti 



tt tt it tt AC) tt 



Emys serrata, deprived of food and drink 28 days, and then transferred to 



a tub of water, and abundantly supplied with vegetable food (Portu- 



lacca oleracea) .......... 



Emys serrata, deprived of food and drink 28 days, and then abundantly 



supplied with water and vegetable food ...... 



Emys serrata, deprived of food and drink for 28 days, and then placed in 



a tub of water, and supplied with vegetable food .... 

 Emys terrapin, deprived of food and drink 21 days, and then placed in 



fresh water, and supplied with vegetable food {Portidacca oleracea) . 

 Gopher (Testudo polyphenols). The urine consists of two portions: 1. 



Fluid. 2. Semi-solid Sp.gr. of fluid 



Sp. gr. of serai-solid 

 Gopher {Testudo polyphemus), deprived of food and drink 30 days. 



Sp. gr. of fluid portion of urine ....... 



1005.7 



1009. 



1015. 



1011. 



1033.5 



1020. 



1017.5 



1017.6 



1019.4 



999.26 

 9999 



1004. 



1002. 



1004. 

 1095.5 



1008.9 



81° F. 

 90° F. 



This table shows that the specific gravity of the urine of Chelonians was in- 

 creased, during starvation and thirst, and also, that when carnivorous Chelonians 

 were fed upon purely vegetable diet, the specific gravity of the urine was greatly 

 diminished. 



From numerous examinations, which I made last summer, the following are 

 selected as affording the best view of the physical and chemical properties of the 

 urine. 



Urine of a Yellow-bellied Terrapin (Ewi/s serrata), which had been deprived of 

 food and drink for 29 days. June 20. 



Weight of terrapin, May 25th ..... 30,132 grains. 



June 19th 22,760 " 



" lost in twenty-six days ..... 7,372 " 



Loss of weight each hour, 10 T 5 - grains = ^'^tli the original weight of the body. 

 The bladder had not been emptied during its confinement, and contained four fluid- 

 ounces of urine. Sp. gr. 1020. The urine was of a transparent yellow color, and 

 contained white and yellow chalk-like masses, which, under the microscope, were 

 found to consist of numerous minute globules of the urate of ammonia, and hexa- 

 gonal and lozenge-shaped crystals of uric acid. The presence of ammonia and uric 

 acid was determined by all the characteristic tests. The transparent portion of the 

 urine was ropy, resembling mucus. When treated with aqua ammonice, a copious 

 precipitate of triple phosphate was thrown down. 



1000 parts of the urine contained — 



Water 947.19 



Solid constituents . . ... 52.81 



