202 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 
Other kinds of spermatozoa which are acted upon in much the same manner 
as the two examples given are those of the following orders and species: 
Pisces: Fundulus heteroclitus (minnow), Cyprinus carpio (German carp.) 
Arthropoda: Homarus americanus (lobster), Eupagurus longicarpus (small 
hermit-crab), Eupagurus pollicaris (large hermit-crab), Limulus poly- 
phemus (horse-shoe crab), Libinia (spider-crab). 
Vermes: Cirratulus grandis, Lepidonotus squamatus (scale-worm), Lum- 
briconereis opalina, Nereis virens (clam-worm). 
Echinodermata: Asteria vulgaris (star-fish), Arbacia punciulata (purple 
sea-urchin). 
The following kinds of spermatozoa are found to be wholly refractory to 
the effect of venom, even cobra: Phascolosoma among the vermes, and 
Pentacta frondosa (sea-cucumber) among the echinodermata. 
Egg cells: For the study of ovolysis the egg cells of several orders of cold- 
blooded animals were employed: pisces, arthropoda, vermes, and echinoder- 
mata. Not all of these cells are affected equally, and some are not acted on 
at all. In some instances pigmented ova, under the influence of venom, give 
up their pigment, which is diffused along with other interior contents into 
the surrounding medium, tinting this so as to suggest the liberation of heemo- 
globin from red blood-corpuscles by venom and other heemolytic substances. 
Table 15 illustrates the changes in unfertilized eggs brought about by venom. 
The experiments prove the susceptibility to venom cytolysis of certain ova of 
cold-blooded animals. Of the ova tested, those of Limulus and Nereis failed 
to show distinct changes leading to more or less complete dissolution. Among 
other susceptible ova are those of Phascolosoma and Cirratulus, with which 
may be mentioned the fact of the insusceptibility of sperm cells of the former 
worm under the same conditions of venom treatment. (Plates 30 and 31.) 
TABLE 15. 
[Experiment I: Ova of Asteria (Star-fish).] 
Time of 
2 per cent moccasin 2 per cent crotalus 
observation. 
Control in sea-water. I per cent cobra venom. erat ae 
30 mins. Pale, pinkish-yel- | Slight agglutination; con- | Marked aggluti- | Slight agglutina- 
low round cells; tents dissolved; first nation; solu- tion only. 
germinal ves- deuteroplasm and then tion of cells be- 
icle visible. germinal vesicle. gun. 
3 hours. No change. Only empty membranes | Destruction more | No solution. 
and fragments left. advanced, but 
less than cobra. 
6 hours. No change. Only empty membranes | Many cells have | No solution. 
and fragments left. lost contents. 
[Experiment II: Arbacia (Sea-urchin).] 

30 mins. Round, semi- | Marked agglutination; | Marked aggluti- | Moderate ageluti- 
opaque cells of cells swollen and pig- nation; _pig- nation only. 
faintly purple ments liberated. ment partially 
color. Nucleus liberated. 
visible. 
3 hours. No change. More advanced solution. | More advanced | Pigment paler; 
solution. eggs swollen. 
6 hours. No change. All cells have yielded their | Somewhat less | No change. 
contents; membranes advanced than 
visible. cobra. 

