Cuar. XIIL] DROSERA BINATA. wae 
surface, down to the roots—for there is no distinct footstalk—is covered 
with short gland-bearing tentacles, those on the margins being the 
longest and reflexed. Bits of meat placed on the glands of some 
tentacles caused them to be slightly inflected in 20 m.; but the plant 
was not in a vigorous state. After 6 hrs. they moved through an 
angle of 90°, and in 24 hrs. reached the centre. The surrounding 
tentacles by this time began to curve inwards. Ultimately a large drop 
of extremely viscid, slightly acid secretion was poured over the meat 
from the united glands. Several other glands were touched with a 
little saliva, and the tentacles became incurved in under 1 hr., and 
re-expanded after 18 hrs. Particles of glass, cork, cinders, thread, and 
gold-leaf, were placed on numerous glands on two leaves; in about 
1 hr. four tentacles became curved, and four others after an additional 
interval of 2 hrs. 30 m. I never once succeeded in causing any 
movement by repeatedly touching the glands with a needle; and 
Mrs. Treat made similar trials for me with no success. Small tlies 
were placed on several leaves near their tips, but the thread-like blade 
became only on one occasion very slightly bent, directly beneath the 
insect. Perhaps this indicates that the blades of vigorous plants 
would bend over captured insects, and Dr. Canby informs me that 
this is the case; but the movement cannot be strongly pronounced, as 
it was not observed by Mrs. Treat. 
Drosera binata (or dichotoma).*—I am much indebted to Lady 
Dorothy Nevill for a fine plant of this almost gigantic Australian species, 
which differs in some interesting points from those previously described. 
In this specimen the rush-like footstalks of the leaves were 20 inches 
in length. The blade bifurcates at its junction with the footstalk, and 
twice or thrice afterwards, curling about in an irregular manner. It is 
narrow, being only 4, of an inch in breadth. One blade was 73 inches 
long, so that the entire leaf, including the footstalk, was above 27 
‘inches in length. Both surfaces are slightly hollowed out. The upper 
surface is covered with tentacles arranged in alternate rows; those in 
the middle being short and crowded together, those towards the margins 
longer, even twice or thrice as long as the blade is broad. The glands 
of the exterior tentacles are of a much darker red than those of the 
central ones. The pedicels of all are green. The apex of the blade is 
attenuated, and bears very long tentacles. Mr. Copland informs me 
that the leaves of a plant which he kept for some years were generally 
covered with captured insects before they withered. 
The leaves do not differ in essential points of structure or of function 
from those of the previously described species. Bits of meat or a little 
saliva placed on the glands of the exterior tentacles caused well-marked 
movement in 3 m., and particles of glass acted in 4m. The tentacles 
with the latter particles re-expanded after 22 hrs. A piece of leaf 
immersed in a few drops of a solution of one part of carbonate of 
* [See E. Morren, ‘Bull. de Acad. Royale de Belgique,’ 2™° série, tom 
40, 1875, where the plant is figured, and some experiments described.— F. D,} 
Q 2 
