240 Composition of Eggs. 
grains gradually decay and in a few minutes entirely disappear. 
e substance which constitutes them is then soluble in water, 
while ichthin is insoluble. Admitting, for a moment, that these 
grains are formed of ichthin, their solubility might be attributed 
to the action of the albuminous liquid existing in the carp’s egg, 
which would thus show the property of dissolving the ichthin 
of Rays. To verify this hypothesis, we introduced some grains 
of ichthin from a ray into the liquid of the crushed eggs of acarp; 
the whole was submitted to the action of water. We then saw 
the granules of the carp’s eggs gradually disappear ; those of ich- 
thin were not altered by the water. It thus seems to be demon- 
strated that there exists in the eggs of certain Cyprinide, a sub- 
stance soluble in water, which presents itself in the form of rect- 
angular grains. Although it has been impossible to give to this 
observation all the exactness desirable, for the soluble grains could 
not be isolated, yet we think we ought, while waiting for more 
satisfactory results, to give a name to this substance, and we pro- 
se that of Ichthidine. When we employed saline solvents, 
large number of the eggs of birds which we have been in the 
habit of examining while they were in the state of ovule, re- 
tained in the ovary. *We have established its presence in the 
Labrax lupus, the thick-lipped Grey Mullet (Mugil Chelo, Nob.); 
the Mackerel (Scomber Scombrus, Lin.), the Turbot (Pleuro- 
nectes maximus, Lin.), the common Sole (Pleuronectes Solea, 
Lin.), the Breton Sole (Solea armorica, Val.). We have estab- 
lished its existence, and in great abundance too, in the eggs of 
Salmon, already detached from the ovarian lobes, and fallen into 
the abdominal cavity. It seemed to us at least important to study 
it carefully, and to ascertain its composition. We have given It 
the name of Ichthulin. The liquid obtained by pressing the 
eggs of Salmon in a cloth is treated with distilled water, the albu- 
men dissolves, and the precipitation of the ichthulin is effecte¢- 
ey — is then purified by being washed with alcohol 
_ and ether. 
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