34 



Investigations on the Life-History 



intestinal mucous membrane or of the pyloric appendages was estimated 

 by its power of digesting egg-albumin in 2 per cent, sodium carbonate 

 at the ordinary temperature of the room. The extracts were made in 

 the same way as those from the stomach. To prevent any fallacy from 

 the growth of organisms during the digestive action a small quantity 

 of chloroform was added to each all the extracts possessed active 

 diastatic powers in alkaline solution. 



One or two of the extmcts were also used in an acid solution con- 

 taining -12 per cent, of hydrochloric acid. No action was observed. 



I. INTESTINAL Mucous MEMBRANE. 



The results have been tabulated Table VII. and show a much 

 greater proportion of digested albumin than in the peptic experiments. 

 In two fish the intestinal walls and contents were used, one of them a 

 kelt. Both were caught in July, and show a digestive power equal to 

 16-9 and 12-6 per cent, respectively : 



TABLE VII. 



ESTIMATION OF THE PROTEOLYTIC ACTION OF THE GLYCERINE EXTRACT 

 OF THE INTESTINAL Mucous MEMBRANE, AND OF THE PYLORIC 

 APPENDAGES. 



Fish Caught at the Mouth. 

 1. INTHSTINK. 



Fish Caught in the Upper 

 1. INTESTINE. 



II. PYLORIC APPENDAGES. 



The extract from the appendages was much more active than that of 

 the intestine. Three fish caught in December afforded an average of 

 43-6 per cent, of albumin digested, and seven captured in May, one of 

 48-64 per cent. The greatest powers were shown by No. XVI. with 

 69-7 per cent., No. XLI. 59-8 per pent., No. XV. 54-4 per cent., No. 

 XIII. with 51-0 per cent., and No. XVII. with 47-7 per cent. 



The corresponding figures for the peptic power in these fish show 

 that the July fish with no peptic power have the smallest proportion of 



