TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 



775 



paratively large amount of copper — is one of sufficient interest to warrant further 

 investigation. 



In June last Professor Moseley kindly placed at our disposal the blood of a large 

 number of these animals which he had obtained alive from America ; we were 

 thus enabled to procure sufficient material for analysis. 



Over two litres of blood were obtained from twenty animals, by making a 

 small transverse incision at the joint between the cephalothorax and abdominal 

 carapace ; no distinction was made with regard to sex. The freshly drawn blood 

 was an opaque-white liquid, which in a few seconds gelatinised, and soon 

 assumed a more or less blue colour ; the jelly subsequently contracted into a firm 

 yellowish-white clot, and squeezed out a large amount of a blue liquid. 



The blue liquid had a specific gravity of P040, was slightly alkaline, coagulated 

 on boiling and on addition of alcohol, but was not coagulated with ether ; treated 

 with strong acids or alkalies it coagulated en masse, the blue colour completely 

 disappearing. After dilution, the addition of weak (1 per cent.) mineral acid to 

 the blue liquid blanched without coagulating it. In some cases the blue colour 

 returned on addition of ammonia. When the blue liquid was kept in a stoppered 

 vessel for twenty-four hours it blanched ; the blue colour immediately reappearing 

 when it was shaken with air, to disappear on standing. 



In connection with this fact, it was of interest to observe the manner in which 

 the blood assumed its blue colour when freshly drawn. In order to observe this 

 under the best possible conditions, blood was drawn from an animal with precau- 

 tions which, as far as possible, prevented access of air. A pipette containing oil 

 was introduced into the incision and a small amount of blood carefully drawn into 

 it, both ends of the pipette were then sealed ; under these conditions the blood did 

 not become blue. 



From a free incision a sudden rush of blood was allowed to fill two small 

 beakers, one of which contained oil ; in both cases a yellowish coagulum separated, 

 floating in a tolerably clear liquid. The one with a surface layer of oil remained 

 untinged, whereas the other assumed the blue colour which appeared first on the 

 surface. 



Experiments were made with blood received under oil into closely stoppered 

 bottles with similar results ; in these cases the blue colour has never appeared. 

 No satisfactory blanching of the blue liquid was observed when a stream of CO., 

 gas was passed through it. The colour, however, disappeared on addition of 

 ammonium sidphide, and returned for a short time again on shaking up the mixture 

 with air. The passage of oxygen markedly intensified the blue colour ; this was 

 the case also with the blue blood of the Octopus as shown by Fredericq. 1 



The following table shows the percentage composition of the ash of the blue 

 liquid which may be advantageously compared with those of Genth. It may be 

 observed with reference to these results that the determination of copper and iron 

 was made in 13-57 grammes of ash, as compared with the 3-6 grammes employed 

 by Genth : — 



Genth. 



Sodium chloride . . 

 Potassium chloride 

 Magnesium chloride . 

 Potassium sulphate . 

 Calcium sulphate . . 

 Calcium carbonate 

 Phosphate of magnesia 



Magnesia 



Oxide of iron . . . 

 Oxide of copper . .. 



Present Analysis. 



Sodium chloride 85T84 



Potassium chloride .... 2 - 707 



Magnesium chloride .... - — ■ 



Potassium sulphate .... 0-594 



Calcium sulphate 3-986 



Calcium carbonate .... -275 



Phosphate of magnesia . . . "236 



Mignesia 6-457 



Oxide of iron 0-029 



Oxide of copper 0-508 



99-976 



Bulletin de VAcademie Rnyale de Belgique, 1878, p. 717. 



