320 



Dr. McMunn. Further Observations on [Apr. 30, 



At that time I could not decide the points which are now con- 

 sidered : (1) Is enterochlorophyll due to the presence of symbiotic 

 algae ? (2) If not, is it an immediate food product, and merely an 

 instance of the intra- cellular digestion of food chlorophyll ? (3) If 

 it is not due to either of these sources, can it be proved that it is 

 built up by the animal containing it ? (4) In what points does it 

 differ from plant chlorophyll and that of Spongilla ? 



I believe I can prove that the first two questions can be answered 

 in the negative, and that it is an animal product, and does differ to a 

 slight extent from vegetable chlorophyll, and also from that of 

 Spongilla. 



This evidence is based on the result of spectroscopic examination, 

 especially of the bands in the blue half of the spectrum, on the 

 results obtained by saponifying the colouring matters, and on the 

 morphological characters of the enterochlorophyll in the organs con- 

 taining it. 



With regard to chlorophyll itself, I mean the mixture of colouring 

 matters obtainable on extracting green leaves of land plants with 

 alcohol, or with alcohol and ether, I believe that of the six bands 

 of such a solution, five correspond to those seen in a living leaf, and 

 that Kraus is correct in saying that such bands can be seen in a 

 leaf. 



The first four bands appear to belong to the green constituent of 

 the chlorophyll, the other two to the yellow. On comparing solutions 

 of enterochlorophyll with those of plant chlorophyll, it is seen that 

 the bands corresponding to V and VI* of the latter are replaced by one, 

 or by two, occupying a somewhat different position. The enterochloro- 

 phyll of the following species is described: Paludina vivipara, 

 Limnceus stagnalis, Trochus ziziphinus, Trochus cinerarius, Littorina 

 littorea, Patella vulgata, Helix pomatia, Solaster papposa, and several 

 specimens of Uraster rubens, &c. In all these, enterochlorophyll is 

 present, and presents very uniform spectroscopic characters, and the 

 same as those described in the case of the Molluscs, Echinoderms, 

 and Arthropods referred to in my former paper. The bands of the 

 spectra of their solutions have been measured in wave-lengths, and 

 show a remarkable agreement. In some cases two bands placed closely 

 together in red replace the single dominant band of chlorophyll, and 

 in every instance the solutions possess a red fluorescence. 



In consequence of Hansen having published the result of saponi- 

 fying vegetable chlorophyll, and of his having succeeded in obtaining 

 certain crystals, which he maintains are those of isolated "chlorophyll 

 green" and "chlorophyll yellow," I was anxious to try the effect of 

 ; saponifying enterochlorophyll. It was necessary, however, to repeat 

 his experiments on plant chlorophyll before saponifying entero- 

 * Adopting Kraus's numbers. 



