372 



Dr. C. A. MacMunn. 



sliall here give the position in wave-lengths of the bands of an alcohol- 

 ether extract of leaves of Primula alone, and treated with nitric acid. I 

 have chosen the leaves of that plant since various sings and snails, whose 

 bile spectra will be referred to further on, feed on them. An alcohol- 

 ether extract gave four bands. I did not measure carefully the bands 

 of the second half of the spectrum, so shall only refer to the bands of 

 the first lialf : — 



1st Band X674— 643 



2nd „ X622-5— 602 



3rd „ X590-5— 567 



4th „ X548— 530? 



This solution was filtered, evaporated at a gentle heat, and the 

 residue extracted with rectified spirit and filtered. The solution was 

 a fine green colour and gave a series of five bands as follows : — 



1st Band . > . X684— 634 



2nd „ X618— 598 



'3rd „ X586— 570 



4th „ X546 ; 5— 534 



"5th „ 'X484— 465 



When this was : treated with a oouple of drops of nitric acid, the 

 green colour became yellowish, and the bands : gave the following 

 readings : — 



1st Band X661— 646 *s 



2nd „ 'X608— 592 j 



3rd „ X576 — 561 \- Chart, spectrum 1. 



4th „ X539— 521 I 



5th „ X502— 484? J 



In the case of entero chlorophyll -the treatment with nitric acid 

 generally makes the solution slightly greenish, although previously it 

 may have been yellow. I believe 'thLs is due to the fact that in the 

 livers of Mollnsca, &c, the pigment is-,present in a more or less reduced 

 condition, probaby due to the action ©f a ferment on the chlorophyll, or 

 to the fact that it is sometimes present m the form of a radical or 

 cliromogen* 



MOLLUSCA. 



Colouring -matters of Liver of Ostrcea'E'dulis. — The alcoholic extract 

 of the liver of Ostrcea is a greenish-yellow colour by daylight, and 

 more orange-yellow by gaslight, and examined in a deep layer gives a 

 band in red, which is placed over a shading. This peculiarity of a 



* Perhaps built up synthetically by the animal itself. 



