CIIAP. VL DIGESTION. 85 



CHAPTEE VI. 



THE DIGESTIVE POWER OF THE SECRETION OF DROSBRA. 



The secretion rendered acid by the direct and indirect excitement oi 

 the glands Nature of the acid Digestible substances Albu- 

 men, its digestion arrested by alkalies, recommences by the addi- 

 tion of an acid Meat Fibrin Syntonin Areolar tissue 

 Cartilage Fibro-cartilage Bone Enamel and dentine Phos- 

 phate of lime Fibrous basis of bone Gelatine Chondrin 

 Milk, casein and cheese Gluten Legumin Pollen Globulin 

 Hasmatin Indigestible substances Epidermic productions 

 Fibro-elastic tissue Mucin Pepsin Urea Chitine Cellu- 

 lose Gun-cotton Chlorophyll Fat and oil Starch Action 

 of the secretion on living seeds Summary and concluding 

 remarks. 



As we have seen that nitrogenous fluids act very 

 differently on the leaves of Drosera from non-nitro- 

 genous fluids, and as the leaves remain clasped for a 

 much longer time over various organic bodies than 

 over inorganic bodies, such as bits of glass, cinder, 

 wood, &c., it becomes an interesting inquiry, whether 

 they can only absorb matter already in solution, or 

 render it soluble, that is, have the power of digestion. 

 We shall immediately see that they certainly have this 

 power, and that they act on albuminous compounds in 

 exactly the same manner as does the gastric juice of 

 mammals ; the digested matter being afterwards ab- 

 sorbed. This fact, which will be clearly proved, is a 

 wonderful one in the physiology of plants. I must 

 here state that I have been aided throughout all my 

 later experiments by many valuable suggestions and 

 assistance given me with the greatest kindness by 

 Dr. Burdon Sanderson. 



