CHAP. IX. POISON OF THE COBRA. 20? 



4 hrs. 15 m. the outer tentacles were much inflected ; and after 

 6 hrs. 30 m. those on two of the leaves were closely inflected and 

 the blade of one ; the third leaf was only moderately affected* 

 The leaves remained in the same state during the next day, 

 but after 48 hrs. re-expanded. 



Three leaves were now immersed, each in thirty minims of the 

 solution, so that each received -^ of a grain, or 4'048 mg. In 

 6 in. there was some inflection, which steadily increased, so that 

 after 2 hrs. 30 m. all three leaves were closely inflected; the 

 glands were at first somewhat darkened, then rendered pale ; and 

 the protoplasm within the cells of the tentacles was partially 

 aggregated. The little masses of protoplasm were examined 

 after 3 hrs., and again after 7 hrs., and on no other occasion 

 have I seen them undergoing such rapid changes of form. 

 After 8 hrs. 30 m. the glands had become quite white ; they had 

 not secreted any great quantity of mucus. The leaves were 

 now placed in water, and after 40 hrs. re-expanded, showing that 

 they were not much or at all injured. During their immersion 

 in water the protoplasm within the cells of the tentacles was 

 occasionally examined, and always found in strong movement. 



Two leaves were next immersed, each in thirty minims of a 

 much stronger solution, of one part to 109 of water ; so that each 

 received A of a grain, or 16'2 nig. After 1 hr. 45 m. the sub- 

 marginal tentacles were strongly inflected, with the glands some- 

 what pale ; after 3 hrs. 30 m. both leaves had all their tentacles 

 closely inflected and the glands white. Hence the weaker 

 solution, as in so many other cases, induced more rapid inflec- 

 tion than the stronger one ; but the glands were sooner rendered 

 white by the latter. After an immersion of 24 hrs. some of the 

 tentacles were examined, and the protoplasm, still of a fine 

 purple colour, was found aggregated into chains of small globular 

 masses. These changed their shapes with remarkable quickness. 

 After an immersion of 48 hrs. they were again examined, and 

 their movements were so plain that they could easily be seen 

 under a weak power. The leaves were now placed in water, 

 and after 24 hrs. (i.e. 72 hrs. from their first immersion) the 

 little masses of protoplasm, which had become of a dingy purple, 

 were still in strong movement, changing their shapes, coalescing, 

 and again separating. 



In 8 hrs. after these two leaves had been placed in water (i.e. 

 in 56 hrs. after their immersion in the solution) they began to 

 re-expand, and by the next morning were more expanded. 

 After an additional day (i.e. on the fourth day after their immer- 

 sion in the solution) they were largely, but not quite fully 



