260 QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. 
although requiring for the manifestation of movements the 
presence of acid food-yelk upon its inner surface. Evidence 
was given to show that the contractile property of the yelk of 
both kinds requires, as an essential condition of its manifesta- 
tion, the presence of oxygen in the surrounding medium. 
Proofs were given that a certain moderate rise of temperature 
increases the activity of these contractions. The reactions of 
the yelk under the stimulus of galvanism were also recorded, 
the food-yelk and cortical layer alone being excited to con- 
traction by it. Poisonous agents had very little effect on the 
yelk-protoplasm : carbonic acid, however, rapidly destroyed 
the contractility, and chloroform arrested it for a time. 
“On the Structure of the Ovarian Ovum of Gasterosteus 
leiurus,” by Dr. Ransom.—This paper will be published in 
full, with illustrations, in the next number of this Journal. 
“ On the Question, Whether Carbonate of Lime exists in an 
Amorphous or Crystalline State in the Egg-shells of Birds,” 
by Dr. John Davy.—The author gave his observations, which 
led him to conclude that the condition was amorphous. In 
the discussion which followed, Mr. Charles Stewart, of 
Plymouth, maintained that the polariscope revealed a crys- 
talline structure in what Dr. Davy regarded as amorphous 
particles. 
“ On the Action of Carbonic Oxide on the Blood,” by Dr. 
A. Gamgee.—When carbonic oxide is passed through venous 
blood, it acquires a persistently florid colour, which was first 
pointed out by Claude Bernard; and the colouring matter, 
although it possesses a spectrum identical with that of ordi- 
nary blood, is distinguished from it by not yielding, when 
treated with reducing agents, the spectrum first described by 
Stokes as that of reduced or purple cruorine. This property 
of carbonic oxide blood was first published by Hoppe. Asa 
result of his own investigations, Dr. Gamgee has found— 
First, that the peculiar compound of carbonic oxide and blood 
colouring matter is formed even when the latter has been 
reduced, and is still in the presence of a large excess of a 
reducing solution. Secondly, that when the compound of 
carbonic oxide and colouring matter is treated with acetic 
acid, whilst heematine is formed, carbonic oxide is disengaged. 
Thirdly, that carbonic oxide, besides modifying the optical 
properties of the colouring matter of blood, affects in a re- 
markable manner the point at which it coagulates, so that, 
under its influence, an almost perfect separation of the hema- 
toglobulin (using the term to express the normal colouring 
matter of the blood) from the albumen may be effected. 
Normal ox’s blood, when diluted with nine times its volume 
