102 DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA. CHAT. VI. 



secretion from the glands. In 18 hrs. the fibrin was com- 

 pletely liquefied, but undigested atoms still floated in the 

 liquid ; these, however, disappeared in under two additional 

 days. 



From these experiments it is clear that the secre- 

 tion completely dissolves pure fibrin. The rate of 

 dissolution is rather slow; but this depends merely 

 on this substance not exciting the leaves sufficiently, 

 so that only the immediately adjoining tentacles are 

 inflected, and the supply of secretion is small. 



Syntonin. This substance, extracted from muscle, 

 was kindly prepared for me by Dr. Moore. Very 

 differently from fibrin, it acts quickly and energetic- 

 ally. Small portions placed on the discs of three 

 leaves caused their tentacles and blades to be strongly 

 inflected within 8 hrs. ; but no further observations 

 were made. It is probably due to the presence of 

 this substance that raw meat is too powerful a stimu- 

 lant, often injuring or even killing the leaves. 



Areolar Tissue. Small portions of this tissue from a 

 sheep were placed on the discs of three leaves ; these 

 became moderately well inflected in 24 hrs., but began 

 to re-expand after 48 hrs., and were fully re-expanded 

 in 72 hrs., always reckoning from the time when the 

 bits were first given. This substance, therefore, like 

 fibrin, excites the leaves for only a short time. The 

 residue left on the leaves, after they were fully re- 

 expanded, was examined under a high power and 

 found much altered, but, owing to the presence of a 

 quantity of elastic tissue, which is never acted on, 

 could hardly be said to be in a liquefied condition. 



Some areolar tissue free from elastic tissue was next 

 procured from the visceral cavity of a toad, and 

 moderately sized, as well as very small, bits were 

 placed on five leaves. After 24 hrs. two of the bits 



