1900] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 219 



specimens of the artemiae gatliered from the lake in Sep- 

 tember 1892, and the water then taken showed on analy- 

 sis, 14,623.23 grains of dissolved solids to the imperial 

 gallon, the greater part of this being salt. Indeed, I have 

 captured the creatures in the evaporating ponds of the salt 

 works, where the brine was near its point of saturation. 



It is not difficult to accustom them to a diluted medium ; 

 I have kept them alive for days in lake water diluted with 

 25, 50, 80 and 90 jier cent fresh water, and from eight to 

 eighteen hours in fresh water only. Of course the changes 

 from brine to fresh water were made gradually, though a 

 sudden transfer from the lake brine to fresh water or even 

 to distilled water is not followed by speedy death. On the 

 contrary, the creatures live for hours after such sudden 

 change, with few signs of discomfort or inconvenience 

 except their inability to rise in the water of low density. 



The ability of the shrimps to withstand the effects of 

 rapid dilution of the medium is surprising if we assume 

 that their tissues are ordinarily impregnated with the salt 

 of the lake brine. The violent osmosis between the dense 

 fluids of the tissues and the fresh water without would ap- 

 pear to insure disruption. It is possible, however, that 

 the tissues do not absorb the brine in its entirety ; indeed, 

 if the shrimps just taken from the lake be subjected to a 

 single quick rinsing with fresh water, they are but slight- 

 ly salty to the taste. 



During a cruise upon the lake in September 1892, our 

 party found the crustaceans swarming in the open water. 

 When near the middle of the lake, with a small tow-net 

 we gathered a quart of the shrimps in the course of a few 

 minutes. Thereupon we resolved upon an experiment the 

 subsequent recital of which has shocked the gastronomic 

 sensibilities of many friends. Reasoning that the bodies 

 of the artemisB are composed largely of chitin, we conclud- 

 ed that the question of their palatability was at least 

 worthy of investigation. By a simple rinsing with fresh 



