60 



EFFECTS OF THIRST, 



ETC., ON TESTUDO POLYPHEMUS. 



the temperature is elevated, the wastes of the tissues and chemical and physical 

 chancres in the orgaiiic molecules of cold-blooded animals are correspondingly 

 increased. In a normal state, the converse of this proposition is true for warm- 

 blooded animals. When, however, the forces are impaired, the w^arm-blooded 

 animal is governed, in a great measure, by this law. 



The serum resembled, in color and smell and relative amount, that of the former 

 Gopher in a normal condition. 



The amount of blood readily obtained, was more than 1000 grains. Although 

 this Gopher had been deprived of food and drink for thirty days, still the blood did 

 not ap[)ear to have been diminished in quantity. The reason of this will be seen 

 in a few moments. 



Specific gravity of its blood 

 " " serum 



Solid constituents in KlOO 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 

 Filjrin ..... 

 Fixed saline constituents 



1000 parts of blood contained — 



Moist blood-corpuscles 355.76 1 3^^^^'' 



(Solid constituents 



Liquor sanguinis 



G44.24 - 



( Water 



(Solid constituents 



1037 

 1017 

 147.23 

 61.16 

 55.55 

 852.77 

 944.45 



852.77 

 84.76 

 53.17 

 2.99 

 6.31 



267.07 

 88.69 



585.70 

 58.54 



By comparing this analysis with the preceding one, we see that the blood of the 

 Gopher, unlike that of the carnivorous Chelonians, has remained unaltered, both in 

 quantity and the relative proportions of its several ingredients, during a period of 

 thirty days of starvation and thirst. 



Upon an examination of its intestinal canal, and the exterior covering of its 

 body, this remarkable power to resist the effects of starvation and thirst will be 

 explained. 



The colon of the Gopher enlarges into a receptacle, for food, thirty inches in 

 length and three and a half to four inches in circumference (see Fig. 8). The 

 contents of this consist of grass and leaves, resembling, both in odor and appear- 

 ance, the contents of the stomach of herbivorous animals. After thirty days of 

 starvation, the undigested vegetable contents of the intestinal canal amounted to 

 1460 grains. 



The skin of the Gopher is almost completely covered with horny excrescences, 

 which prevent all exhalation of water from the surface of the legs, head, and neck, 

 and all those portions of the body not covered by the shell. Hence the loss of 



