URINE OF CHELONIANS. 



133 



"We shall now proceed to investigate the effects of a change of diet upon the urine 

 of Chelonians, beginning with the carnivorous. 



Urine of a Yellow-bellied Terrapin {Emys serraia), which was starved for 30 days, 

 and then transferred to a tub of water, and abundantly supplied with vegetable 

 food [Porhdacca olemcea) 42 days. 



The bladder was distended with five fluidounces of light greenish-yellow limpid 

 urine, neutral to test paper, having a slight smell resembling that of the terrapin. 



Amount of urine ........ 2150 grs. 



Specific gravity, at 81° F. . . . . . . 999.26 



Solid constituents in 2150 grains . . . . . 5 " 



2150 grains contained — 



Water ......... 2145 



Solid constituents ....... 5 



1000 parts contained — 



Water . . . * 99 (.t 



Solid constituents . . . . . . .2.3 



The urine of numerous Yellow-bellied Terrapins {Emys serm(a), and Salt-water 

 Terrapins [Emys terrapins) treated in a similar manner, yielded results similar in 

 all respects. 



In every instance the amount of urine excreted by the kidneys was greatly 

 increased, its specific gravity diminished — being often the same as that of pure 

 water — and the reaction was changed from acid to neutral. Hippuric acid was 

 never detected. 



The important results of this series of experiments will be given in a table. 

 We next come to the examination of the urine of herbivorous Chelonians. 



Urine of. a male Gopher, examined four days after its capture. 



The bladder contained five fluidounces of urine, having an odor similar to that 

 of the leaves and grasses in the rectum, and also resembling that of the sheep. 

 Four fluidounces of this was a brownish-yellow fluid. Sp. gr. 1004. The remain- 

 ing fluidounce was a semi-solid, grayish chalk-like precipitate, having a sp. gr. of 

 1095.5, and consisting, under the microscope, entirely of minute globules of the 

 urate of ammonia. Urea and hippuric acid could not be detected by microscopical 

 or chemical tests, in either the fluid or semi-solid portion of the urine. Aqua 

 ammonia failed to precipitate the triple phosphate. 



1000 parts of the fluid portion of the urine contained — 



Water ......... 9V2.'75 



Solid constituents . . . . . . .27.25 



1000 parts of the semi-solid portion contained — 



Water ......... 806.31 



Solid constituents . . . . . . .193.67 



Amount of semi-solid portion ...... 400 grs. 



