23 



possesses to a considerable degree these qualities. They are 

 common salt (chloride of sodium), lime (oxide of calcium), and 

 wood ashes (mostly composed of potassa and its carbonate). In 

 the experiments medium-sized earthworms were used, and the 

 embryos of Syngamits were taken from the intestine of the earth- 

 worm. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH EARTHWORMS AND EMBRYOS 



OF SYNGAMUS. 



Exp. i. An earthworm just dug, and with the dirt still adher- 

 ing to it, was thrown into dry lime which had been slacked for 

 several weeks. At the end of twelve minutes it was dead. 



Exp. 2. Another earthworm was thrown into linie water; in 

 seven minutes it ceased to move. 



Exp. 3. An embryo of Syngamits trachealis was placed in lime 

 water; it was observed for two hours, at the end of which time it 

 was still alive and active. 



Exp. 4. An earthworm was placed in a solution of common 

 salt having the strength of one-fourth pound to the gallon of 

 water. In six minutes it was dead. 



Exp. 5. An embryo of Syngamus placed in the above solu- 

 tion lived thirty-three minutes. 



Exp. 6. An earthworm placed in a solution of salt having the 

 strength of one-half pound to the gallon of water lived four 

 minutes. 



Exp. 7. An embryo of Syngamus placed in the above solu- 

 tion ceased to move in fourteen and one-half minutes. 



Exp. 8. An earthworm placed in a salt solution having the 

 strength of one pound to one gallon of water lived about three 

 minutes. 



Exp. 9. An Embryo of Syngamus placed in the above solu- 

 tion lived three minutes. 



Exp. 10. An earthworm thrown on dry salt ceased to move 

 in somewhat less than three minutes. 



Exp. 11. An earthworm thrown on dry ashes lived a"bout 

 twelve minutes. 



Exp. 12. An earthworm placed in lye made by pouring warm 

 water on wood ashes and letting it stand one hour, the proportion 

 being one-half pound of ashes to one gallon of water. The earth- 

 worm ceased to move in three minutes. 



