ALIMENTARY CANAL IN THE BEE • 525 



of cells were destroyed, when it was cut into parts a smaller 

 quantity of ferment passes into the solution at once, its activity 

 sharply increasing. This increase may be explained in two 

 ways. Either the catalase continues to be produced by the 

 intact cells of the intestine or its amount remains the same, 

 but it only gradually passes from the tissue into the solution 

 according to the time the extract stands. 



In the following two parallel experiments (nos. 20, 20 a, and 

 nos. 21 , 21 a) conducted for the control of the data just discussed 

 the picture was somewhat different. In extracts from rubbed 

 stomachs the immediate discharge of catalase in large quantities, 

 as well as its gradual decrease, was corroborated. However, 

 the increase of activity of the ferment in extracts from intact 

 stomachs was exhibited only in experiment no. 21 a, in w^iich 

 the activity of the catalase doubled in two days. In experiment 

 no. 20 a, however, the activity of the ferment in the extract 

 did not increase from standing, remaining on the same level 

 during five days. 



The experiments adduced point to the great variety in 

 the action of catalase which depends on a series of conditions, 

 amongst which the individual character of metabolism in the 

 bee probably occupies the first place. 



The solution of these questions should be the subject for 

 special research. 



Amylase. 



The presence of amylase in the organism of the bee was 

 discovered by Erlenmeyer and Planta and Petersen. 



Erlenmeyer and Planta divided the bees into head, thorax, 

 and abdomen, rubbed these parts of their bodies with sand, 

 infused them in glycerine, and established in all three extracts 

 the presence of amylase which converted starch into dextrin 

 and sugar. 



Petersen prepared fifty stomachs of bees, rubbed them 

 with sand, infused in 10 c.c. of a mixture of equal parts of 

 glycerine and 1 per cent, of sodium fluoride. 



On acting with the extract obtained on starch solution 



NO. 263 o 



