Cuar. XV.J DIGESTION. 275 
secretion was absorbed ; but they were not perceptibly acted 
on, though no doubt some slight amount of animal matter had 
been absorbed from them. They were then placed on the small 
sessile glands, which being thus stimulated secreted copiously 
in the course of 7 hrs. One of these cubes was much 
liquefied within this short time; and both were completely 
liquefied after 21 hrs. 15 m.; the little liquid masses, how- 
ever, still showing some white streaks. These streaks 
disappeared after an additional period of 6 hrs. 30 m.; and 
by next morning (i.e. 48 hrs. from the time when the cubes 
were first placed on the glands) the liquefied matter was 
wholly absorbed. A cube of albumen was left on another tall 
gland, which first absorbed the secretion and after 24 hrs. 
poured forth a fresh supply. This cube, now surrounded 
by secretion, was left on the gland for an additional 24 hrs., 
but was very little, if at all, acted on. We may therefore 
conclude, either that the secretion from the tall glands has 
little power of digestion, though strongly acid, or that the 
amount poured forth froma single gland is insufficient to dis- 
solve a particle of albumen which within the same time 
would have been dissolved by the secretion from several of 
the small sessile glands. Owing to the death of my last 
plant, I was unable to ascertain which of these alternatives 
is the true one. 
Four minute shreds of pure fibrin were placed, each 
resting on one, two, or three of the taller glands. In the 
course of 2 hrs. 30 m. the secretion was all absorbed, and the 
shreds were left almost dry. They were then pushed on to 
the sessile glands. One shred, after 2 hrs. 30 m., seemed 
quite dissolved, but this may have been a mistake. A 
second, when examined after 17 hrs. 25 m., was liquefied, 
but the liquid as seen under the microscope still contained 
floating granules of fibrin. The other two shreds were com- 
pletely liquefied after 21 hrs. 30 m.; but in one of the drops 
a very few granules could still be detected. These, however, 
were dissolved after an additional interval of 6 hrs. 30 m.; 
and the surface of the leaf for some distance all round was 
covered with limpid fluid. It thus appears that Drosophyllum 
digests albumen and fibrin rather more quickly than 
Drosera can ; and this may perhaps be attributed to the acid, 
together probably with some small amount of the ferment, 
being present in the secretion, before the glands have been 
stimulated ; so that digestion begins at once. 
T 2 
