EFFECTS OF THIRST, ETC., ON TESTUDO POLYPHEMUS. 59 



Series IV. — Effects of Thirst and Starvation upon tee Fluids and Solids of 



Gophers [Testudo polyphemus) . 



33. Blood of a male Gopher which had been captured for five days, and abund- 

 antly supplied with vegetable food. 

 Weight of this gopher, 45,500 grains. 



AVhen the arteries of the neck were cut, the blood flowed out in a jet, with con- 

 siderable force, as from the severed artery of a warm-blooded animal. 



The serum was of a light yellow color. It was not of such a golden color as 

 that of the Emys serrata, or Emys reticulata, or Cathartes atraius. Heat and sul- 

 phuric acid developed in the serum the characteristic odor of the animal, which 

 was similar to that of its urine, and the odor of grass contained in its colon 

 resembled closely that of a sheep. 



Amount of blood readily obtained 

 Specific gravity of its blood 

 " " serum 



Solid constituents in 1000 parts of blood 

 " " " serum 



" in serum of 1000 parts of blood 



Water in 1000 parts of blood 

 " " serum 



1000 parts of blood contained — 



Water ..... 

 Blood-corpuscles (dried organic constituents) 

 Albumen, fatty and extractive matter 

 Fibrin ..... 

 Fixed saline constituents 



1000 parts of blood contained — 



(Water . 



(Solid constituents 

 (Water . 



Moist blood-corpnscles 393. 5G 

 Liquor sanguinis 



606.44 



(.Solid constituents 



2.500 grains. 

 1080 

 1018 

 156.62 

 66.41 

 60.00 

 843.38 

 933.59 



843.38 

 87.28 

 57. tS 

 5.73 

 5.83 



302.67 

 90.89 



540.71 

 65.73 



34. Blood of a male Gopher which was kept without food or drink for thirty 

 days. July 11. 



Weight, June 16 

 " " 28 

 July 11 



Loss of weight from June 16-28 (12 days) 



18.368 grains. 

 17.919 " 

 16.922 " 

 449 



28-July 11 (13 days) . . 997 " 



In twenty-five days the loss of weight equalled 1446 grains. In twenty-five 

 days this Gopher had lost J^th of its original weight. Loss of weight each hour, 

 grs. 2^%^- = y eVi^^^ of ^^1*2 original weight of its bodj^ Loss of weight each day — 

 57.8 grains. 



The increased loss of weight after June 28, was due to the passage of excrement 

 at various times, and to the elevation of the temperature of the atmo.sphere. As 



