ON THE FERTILIZATION OF THE EGGS OF ASTE- 
RIAS AND ARBACIA BY SPERM IMMERSED 
IN SOLUTIONS OF ALCOHOL, ETHER, 
AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE, OR 
AMMONIUM CHLORIDE. 
By Ellkn Torelle. 
Alcoholic solutions of sea- water, ranging from .5% to 8%. 
may induce activity in inactive spermatozoa of Asterias forbesii, 
but an 8% or a 10% solution is more frequently effective. 
When inactive immature spermatozoa are immersed in ether, 
the greatest activity is induced by 1% or 2% solutions. A .5% 
solution of ether produces some activity, as does a 5% solution, 
but the activity so produced is of short duration. Weak solu- 
tions (.1% to 1%) of ammonium hydroxide, or of ammonium 
chloride, are also effective. 
When active spermatozoa of Asterias forbesii, normally 
capable of fertilizing eggs, are placed in alcoholic solutions of 
sea-water, ranging from 1% to 8% in strength, their activity is 
increased. When they are placed in stronger solutions, their 
activity is decreased. In solutions above 10%, the spermatozoa 
usually become immediately quiescent. The activity of sperma- 
tozoa placed in weaker solutions, may continue for twelve hours 
or more ;* those placed in 9% and 10% solutions usually become 
quiescent within two hours. 
In solutions of ether, ranging from .5% to 2%, the activity 
is greatly increased, the spermatozoa in the .5% and 1% solutions 
may continue active for twenty-four hours, f 
In ammonium hydroxide solutions of .001%, .005% and 
.01%, the spermatozoa become very active immediately upon 
immersion, but remain so only about five minutes in the first two. 
while in the last, they may continue active for two hours. 
*This may be dne to the fact that the solute is constantly evaporat- 
ing, gradually producing a weaker solution. 
fin solutions above 2% the activity is decreased. 
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