FOUR FIGUKES
Various extracellular annelid hemoglobins are very similar with regard to molecular weight, amino acid composition, solubility, and isoelectric point (reviewed : Lemberg and Legge, '49; Prosser, '50; Eliassen, ' 5 3 ) . It is reasonable to wonder if this similarity extends to other biochemical properties. A study of the oxygen equilibrium and the alkaline denaturation of two extracellular annelid hemoglobins has been undertaken. The two species used were: (1) the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L., a familiar oligochaete ; and, (2) an intertidal terebellid polychaete tentatively identified as Eupolyz~zmiu crescentis Chamberlin. I n addition, alkaline denaturation studies were performed on other terebellid hemoglobins.
M d T E R I h L AND METHODS
Eupolymnin and other terebellids (Neoanzphitrite and TerebeElu) were collected intertidally by overturning rocks and were kept in running sea-water a few days before bleeding. Lumbricus were collected late on damp nights when the earthworms were partly out of their burrows. Annelids were chilled, cut open along the dorsal surface, and pinned out in a wax-bottomed pan. A small beaker was placed immediately