246 DION. ZA MUSCIPULA. (Cuap. XIII. 
meat, if too large pieces are not given. Globules of fat and 
fibro-elastic tissue are not digested. The secretion, with its 
dissolved matter, if not in excess, is subsequently absorbed. 
On the other hand, although chemically prepared casein and 
cheese (as in the case of Drosera) excite much acid secretion, 
owing, I presume, to the absorption of some included 
albuminous matter, these substances are not digested, and 
are not appreciably, if at all, reduced in bulk. 
Effects of the Vapours of Chloroform, Sulphuric Ether, and Hydro- 
cyanic Acid.—A plant bearing one leaf was introduced into a large 
bottle with a drachm (3°549 c.c.) of chloroform, the mouth being im- 
perfectly closed with cotton-wool. The vapour caused in 1 m. the 
lobes to begin moving at an imperceptibly slow rate; but in 3 m. the 
spikes crossed, and the leaf was soon completely shut. The dose, 
however, was much too large, for in between 2 and 3 hrs. the leaf 
appeared as if burnt, and soon died. 
Two leaves were exposed for 30 m. in a 2-oz. vessel to the vapour 
of 30 minims (1:774 c.c.) of sulphuric ether. One leaf closed alter a 
time, as did the other whilst being removed from the vessel without 
being touched. Both leaves were greatly injured. Another leaf, 
exposed for 20 m. to 15 minims of ether, closed its lobes to a certain 
extent, and the sensitive filaments were now quite insensible. After 
24 hrs. this leaf recovered its sensibility, but was still rather torpid. 
A leaf exposed in a large bottle for only 3 m. to ten drops was 
rendered insensible. After 52 m. it recovered its sensibility, and when 
one of the filaments was touched, the lobes closed. It began to 
reopen after 20 hrs. Lastly another leaf was exposed for 4 m. to only 
four drops of the ether; it was rendered insensible, and did not close 
when its filaments were repeatedly touched, but closed when the end 
of the open leaf was cut off. This shows either that the internal 
parts had not been rendered insensible, or that an incision is a more 
powerful stimulus than repeated touches on the filaments. Whether 
the larger doses of chloroform and ether, which caused the leaves to 
close slowly, acted on the sensitive filaments or on the leaf itself, I do 
not know. 
Cyanide of potassium, when left in a bottle, generates prussic or 
hydrocyanic acid. A leaf was exposed for 1 hr. 35 m. to the vapour 
thus formed ; and the glands became within this time so colourless and 
shrunken as to be scarcely visible, and I at first thought that they had 
all dropped off. The leaf was not rendered insensible ; for as soon as 
one of the filaments was touched it closed. It had, however, suffered, 
for it did not reopen until nearly two days had passed, and was not 
even then in the least sensitive. After an additional day it recovered 
its powers, and closed on being touched and subsequently re-opened. 
Another leaf behaved in nearly the same manner after a shorter 
exposure to this vapour. 
