From isothermal m easurem ents of th e rate of shrinkage of tendon collagen, it is concluded that shrinkage is a rate process in vol ving a reaction of first ord er . The effects of ten sion an d length of soaking before shrinkage a re s tudied. Average values of heat, entropy, and free energy of shrinkage of untreated tendon are ob tain ed by app lication of t he theory of absolute reaction rates to t h e data. These values are found to be 141 kcal/ mole, 349 call mole deg, a nd 24.7 kcal /mole at 60° C, resp ectively, with standard deviations of 15 kcal/mole, 43 cal/m ole deg, and 0.6 k cal/mo.le at 60° C, respectively. M easurem ents of shrinkage temperatures are disc ussed. The effects of pH , salt, tanning, and pretannage t reatments on t he Itctivation process are studied. H eat, entropy, and free energy decrease in acid and alkaline media. Salt solut ions cause a decrease in heat and entropy but an inc rease in free energy in concentrated solutions. The effect of salt and acid in combination is co mplex, but in concentrated salt solu t ions an increase in free energy is observed. All tannages investigated, with t he exception of chrome tanning, appear to r educe t he en tropy more than the heat, t h ereby in creasing t he free energy. Chrom e tann ing in creases h eat, entropy, an d free energy markedly. An interpretation of the results is given.