346 



S. SAWAMURA. 



as to the alkaline reaction of the active solution, it differs 

 from it in so far as it does not produce any amido-acids 

 and tryptophan, since the action stops with the production of 

 peptones. 



Similar tests with starch solution were made to determine 

 the end-products of the action of the diastase of Lepidoptera. 

 After six days at 36 0 C, the mixtures still contained some 

 starch. After evaporation to dryness, and extracting the residue 

 with water, a solution was obtained that gave a red reaction 

 with iodine, showing the presence of erytJirodextrin. The 

 chief sugar formed was maltose, to judge from the properties 

 of the osazone obtained. To decide whether traces of dextrose 

 were present some Saccharomyces apiculatus Reess, which has 

 the peculiarity of fermenting dextrose only, but not maltose, was 

 added to the solution in a fermenting tube. After standing 

 for a few days, the evolution of some carbon dioxide was 

 observed, which shows that some dextrose must have been 

 present. There was probably present also some maltase-like 

 enzyme, that further transformed the maltose produced by the 

 diastase, into dextrose. 



Hence, the following conclusions may be drawn. 

 I. All the enzymes secreted in the digestive canal of Lepi- 

 doptera act in an alkaline solution, the action ceasing 

 completely in an acid solution. 

 II. The proteolytic enzyme of Lepidoptera decomposes 

 albumen into peptones but does not further decompose 

 peptone into leucin and tyrosin. Therefore, this enzyme 

 resembles trypsin only in the reaction of its active 

 solution, while it resembles pepsin in regard to the end- 

 product of digestion. 



III. The amylolytic enzyme liquefies starch, forming dextrine 



and maltose. Possibly there is also present some 

 maltase-like enzyme. 



IV. The lipatic enzyme of Lepidoptera like that of Vertebrata 



decomposes fat into fatty acids. 

 V. While in the stomach these enzymes are present ; in the 

 intestines proper only proteolytic enzyme is found, the 

 two other enzymes being absent. 

 VI. Though the expanded part of the intestine of Lepidoptera 

 is commonly called the stomach, its physiological 



