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Nachdruck verboten. 



Effects of Starvation upon Necturus macnlatus. 



Preliminary Report^). 

 By W. M. Smallwood and C. Gr. Rogers. 

 With 11 Microphotographs as Text-figures. 



The two specimens of Necturus maculatus examined in this study 

 had been kept in a large tank supplied with running water in the 

 laboratory for four months and sixteen months respectively. 



The effect of the prolonged fast showed itself in a distinct shrinkage 

 of the whole body in the case of the one starved for 16 months, while 

 the 4 months starved showed in its general appearance little if any 

 change. Unfortunately the specimens were not weighed or measured 

 when first brought into the laboratory, so we have not the data for 

 animals just taken from their natural habitat. All of the specimens 

 brought in were of nearly the same size. The average weight of 10 

 specimens starved 4 months being 222,8 grams. 



The following table represents the conditions of both animals when 

 killed on January 9, 1911. 



The 16 months starved animal had two holes worn through the 

 integument over the coracoid cartilages. 



Both animals were treated the same as to fixation, hardening, 

 imbedding, sectioning and staining. For fixation of the nervous system 

 57o formalin was used and for the viscera Bouin's fluid. 



Spinal Cord. In macroscopic study the spinal cord of the 16 

 months starved specimen was noticably smaller but there was no way 



1) Contributions from the Zoological Laboratory Syracuse Univer- 

 sity, C. W. Hargitt director. 



