Amputation of appendages in fasting Carcinides causes an immediate large increase in nitrogen output which then declines along an exponential type of curve, during the next 12 days or so. Superimposed on this curve are cyclic fluctuations in output, with a period of about 6 days. The excess output over the first 10 days is proportional to the normal output before operation, the relative excess being independent of diet. Later, however, carbohydrate reduces output and protein increases the short-term oscillations in output. Excess nitrogen output is related to the amount of damaged tissue remaining but not to the amount of tissue removed. It is not due entirely to the nitrogen from demolished tissues. Removal of the sinus gland region of the eye-stalks causes an increase in output greater by one order of magnitude than that due to limb-amputation. By contrast, amputation of the tips of the eyes only depresses output. Extirpation of the second antennae depressed output slightly, probably indicating that the antennal gland normally excretes nitrogen. After excision of portions of the body-wall the pattern of output differs from that following amputation of appendages, and is more similar than the latter to that following skin and bone trauma in mammals.

1

n = number of groups, here and elsewhere.

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