of acid proteids is large, would manifestly have its service as a ferment limited to the relatively short time during which the stomach contents, in the process of thorough mixing, were reaching that degree of acidity. There is, however, no movement of food in the fundus, and the alkaline food received from the œsophagus remains alkaline in this region for a considerable period. The nutriment, therefore, if well chewed and thus mixed with saliva, can undergo salivary digestion in the fundus for a considerable period without interference by the acid gastric juice.[32] From all these observations the conclusion must be that the fundus acts as a reservoir for the food, in which the digestion of sugars and starches may take place; and that the pyloric portion with its simple but marvellous peristaltic mechanism, by a single process, triturates the food, brings it near to the active glands, stirs it thoroughly with their secretions, and expels the products into the intestines. THE INHIBITION OF STOMACH MOVEMENTS DURING EMOTION Early in the research a marked unlikeness was noticed in the action of the stomachs of male and female cats. The peristalsis seen with only a few exceptions in female cats failed to appear in most of the males, although both had received exactly the same treatment. Along with this difference was a very striking difference in behaviour when bound to the holder; the females would lie quiet, mewing occasionally, but purring as soon as they were gently stroked. The males, on the contrary, would fly into a violent rage, struggle to be loose from their fastenings, bite at everything near their heads, cry loudly, and resist all attempts to quiet them. On account of this difference only female cats were used for some time, and the significance at first attributed to the action of the males was almost forgotten when the following incident recalled it and suggested that the excitement caused the suspension of the stomach movements. On October 23, 1897, a male cat was fed at 12.00, but was not placed on the holder till ninety minutes later. The waves were passing at the rate of six a minute. The cat fell into a rage and the waves suddenly stopped.