( 48 ) 
Physiology. — <l 0n the consumption of oxygen- hy cold-blooded 
animals in connection with their size.” By Mr. F. J. J. Buytendijk. 
(Communicated by Prof. T. Place). 
(Communicated in the meeting of March 27, 1909). 
The tables of the majority of investigators prove that in cold¬ 
blooded animals the consumption of 0,, as well as the production 
of C0 2 per kilogram of weight of the animal, is more considerable 
with small than with bigger animals of the same kind. 
As an example I quote some figures from Pott 1 ). 
Rana temporaria (old) weight 13.9 gr. C0 2 p. K.G. and hour 180 cc. 
„ „ (young) „ 1.26 „ „ „ „ „ „ 648 cc. 
Bufo variabilis (old) „ 15 „ „ „ „ „ „ 220 cc. 
„ „ (young) „ 3.6 „ „ „ „ „ „ 770 cc. 
Kunkel 2 ), on the other hand, in an accurate investigation of 
Limax variegatus, found proportionality with the volume. 
The experiments with fishes of Jolyet and Rkgnard*), Baumert 1 ) 
and others nearly always proved the more intense respiration of the 
smaller animals. 
Thus e.g. according to Jolyet and Regnard the consumption is: 
Weight 0 2 p. K.G. temp, 
hour 
Cyprinus auratus 33.40 45.8 
82.130 35.03 
On the other hand by Muraena anguilla 51 40.5 
„ 112 48 
12 ° 
12 ° 
14° 
15° 
More recent investigations of Zuntz (1901) 3 ) with an apparatus 
constructed by himself lead him to the following conclusions, among 
others: “Die Grosse des auf die Gewichtseinheit bezogenen Ver- 
brauches (von 0 2 ) ist bei kleinen Fischen erheblich grosser und 
geht annahernd proportional der Korperoberflache, ein weiterer 
Beweis dafur dass diese Beziehung nicht durch das Bedurfniss der 
Erhaltung der Eigenwarme zu erklaren ist.” 
(The amount of oxygen consumed, referred to the unit of weight, 
b According to Zuntz in Herrmann’s Handbuch der Physiologie Bd. IV, 2 S. 129-154. 
) Kunkel Verhandl. Deutsche Zool. Gesellsch. Bd. 10 p. 22—31. 
) Zuntz, Verhandlungen der Berliner physiol. GeseUschaft XIU, 1901. 
