Osmar. XVII] ABSORPTION BY THE QUADRIFIDS. 333 
toplasm in the above cases had been generated by the 
absorption of nitrogenous matter from the decaying animals. 
In two or three other bladders, which at first appeared quite 
clean, on careful search a few processes were found, with 
their outsides clogged with a little brown matter, showing 
that some minute animal had been captured and had de- 
cayed, and the arms here included a very few more or less 
spherical and aggregated masses; the processes in other 
parts of the bladders being empty and transparent. On the 
other hand, it must be stated that in three bladders con- 
taining dead crustaceans, the processes were likewise empty. 
This fact may be accounted for by the animals not having 
been sufficiently decayed, or by time enough not having 
been allowed for the generation of protoplasm, or by its 
subsequent absorption and transference to other parts of the 
plant. It will hereafter be seen that in three or four other 
species of Utricularia the quadrifid processes in contact with 
decaying animals likewise contained aggregated masses of 
protoplasm. 
On the Absorption of certain Fluids by the Quadrifid and 
Bifid Processes—These experiments were tried to ascertain 
whether certain fluids, which seemed adapted for the purpose 
would produce the same effects on the processes as the 
absorption of decayed animal matter. Such experiments are, 
however, troublesome ; for it is not sufficient merely to place 
a branch in the fluid, as the valve shuts so closely that the 
fluid apparently does not enter soon, if at all. Even when 
bristles were pushed into the orifices, they were in several 
cases wrapped so closely round by the thin flexible edge of 
the valve that the fluid was apparently excluded ; so that 
the experiments tried in this manner are doubtful and not 
worth giving. The best plan would have been to puncture 
the bladders, but I did not think of this till too late, 
excepting in a few cases. In all such trials, however, it 
cannot be ascertained positively that the bladder, though 
translucent, does not contain some minute animal in the 
last stage of decay. Therefore most of my experiments were 
made by cutting bladders longitudinally into two; the 
quadrifids were examined with No. 8 of Hartnack, then 
irrigated, whilst under the covering glass, with a few drops 
of the fluid under trial, kept in a damp chamber, and re- 
examined after stated intervals of time with the same power 
as before. 
