580 W. BLAXLAND BENHAM. 



The action of hydrochloric and of sulphuric acid is 

 similar. 



In acetic acid the thread cell becomes transparent; the 

 thread gradually swells and loses its distinctness till it 

 finally disappears; while oxalic acid reduces the thread to 

 granules, but does not dissolve it. 



In caustic potash (30 per cent.), just at first the thread 

 becomes more evident; the cell swells and bursts, leaving 

 the thread behind. This now in its turn swells up, and the 

 fibrillation becomes more and more definite, the thread, indeed, 

 has the appearance of becoming gradually unravelled, so 

 that the ring is replaced by a coil, which becomes looser as 

 the action of the reagent is prolonged (see fig. 25, a, h, c). 

 By this method it is possible to ascei'tain the existence or 

 non-existence of a " free end.'^ I have been quite unable 

 to see anything of the kind ; nor is the thread, as represented 

 by its fibrils, coiled in a spiral. 



The process of unravelling continues, but the potash has 

 no further action upon it. Even after boiling the prepara- 

 tions the thread remains undissolved, and appears as a 

 continuous thread in the form of a chain or a wreath of 

 loops of varied shapes; but even now retains it refringency 

 and definiteness (fig. 26). 



In earlier experiments, where the potash was weaker, the 

 cell after swelling simply burst, and the thread issued in 

 loops, much as in the reaction with mineral acids. 



Absolute alcohol does not dissolve the thread, though it 

 shrinks a good deal, forming a refringent, irregular mass in 

 the cell. 



Ether converts the thread into granules. 



Osmic acid lias an action similar to absolute alcohol, and 

 does not sensibly brown the thread. 



Remarks on the Ccelomic Fluid in general. 



The fluid, as already stated, is milky to creamy in colour, 

 owing to the great abundance of the eleocytes and lampro- 



