Colouring-matters of the so-called Bile of Invertebrates, fyc. 377 



Sorby* was the first who found reduced hfematin in the bile of Helix 

 asjpersa, as well as in that of Limncea, Zonites, Limax and Gyclostoma, 

 he was doubtful as to its occurrence in Testicella, Pupa, and Glausilia. 

 He also found it in Planorbis corneus in the liver. I have found it in 

 all Pulmonate molluscan bile which I examined except that of Planorbis, 

 and as I shall have to show further on in the bile of the crayfish. In 

 fact its presence seems to be dependent on aerial respiration. Dr. 

 Sorby although he was led to believe that at least two coloured 

 bodies are present, did not notice the chlorophyll pigment which 

 accompanies in most, if not in all cases, the hasmochromogen. The 

 spectrum of hsemochromogen is so peculiar that it is not easily 

 mistaken for anything else, especially after some practice in this line 

 of research. It is interesting that molluscan bile should so closely 

 resemble that of Vertebrates in this particular. 



On dissecting fasting specimens of Helix aspersa the intestine in the 

 region of the liver is always distended with; reddish-brown bile, which 

 invariably gives the reduced haematin bands with ammonium sulphide ; 

 even before its addition — if the bile be examined sufficiently quickly — 

 they can also be seen. This bile does not give a play of colours with 

 nitric acid, nor does it reduce a solution- of cupric hydrate, even after 

 previous treatment (boiling) with acetic acid ; it also failed to give 

 Pettenkofer's reaction with sugar and sulphuric acid. In some cases 

 the chlorophyll band in the red can also be detected in the bile itself, 

 but then its position is modified by the nature of the solvent, for 

 instance, in one case, it extended from X690 — 666. On treating such 

 bile with an aqueous solution of H' 2 S, this band persists and two new 

 ones come into viewf if not previously visible, the first from \568'5 — 

 555, and the second from X539 — 523. Caustic soda narrows these 

 bands, so also does ammonia. An acid, such as acetic, causes their 

 disappearance, while the band in red still persists. Before treatment 

 with ammonium sulphide, when the haematin bands are visible, they 

 are nearer the red end of the spectrum ; thus in one instance the 

 first band extended from X576 — 561. The bile contains a proteid 

 coagulable by heat; this is interesting when we compare it with hasmo- 

 globin. The bands of reduced haematin in the bile are not always in 

 the same position, for instance, I found a specimen of Helix in 

 February which had been fasting: to my knowledge for more than a 

 month. The colour of its bile was almost that of -haemoglobin, and 

 without any treatment whatever it showed the bands : : — 



1st Band \570— 556 '5 



2nd „ $539—526 



* " On the Evolution of Haemoglobin," Quart. Journ. Mic. Sci.," vol. xvi, p. 77. 



f The bile at the same time becoming redder. Cf. Sorby's paper, loc. tit., for an 

 explanation of the fact that the position of the bands of haematin varies in the 

 '•bile " itself without reagents, and after their addition respectively. 



