CHAP. XV. THEIR POWER OF ABSORPTION. 347 



green, a few being still unaffected. The little masses of .proto- 

 plasm within the cells were seen in movement. The cells of the 

 pedicels were unaltered. The experiment was repeated, and a 

 fresh flower-stem was left for 23 hrs. in the solution, and now a 

 great effect was produced ; all the glands were much blackened, 

 and the previously transparent fluid in the cells of the pedicels, 

 even down to their bases, contained spherical masses of granular 

 matter. By comparing many different hairs, it was evident that 

 the glands first absorb the carbonate, and that the effect thus 

 produced travels down the hairs from cell to cell. The first 

 change which could be observed is a cloudy appearance in the 

 fluid, due to the formation of very fine granules, which after- 

 wards aggregate into larger masses. Altogether, in the darken- 

 ing of the glands, and in the process of aggregation travelling 

 down the cells of the pedicels, there is the closest resemblance 

 to what takes place when a tentacle of Drosera is immersed in 

 a weak solution of the same salt. The glands, however, absorb 

 very much more slowly than those of Drosera. Besides the 

 glandular hairs, there are star-shaped organs which do not 

 appear to secrete, and which were not in the least affected by 

 the above solutions. 



Although in the case of uninjured flower-stems and leaves 

 the carbonate seems to be absorbed only by the glands, yet 

 it enters a cut surface much more quickly than a gland. Strips 

 of the rind of a flower-stem were torn off, and the cells of the 

 pedicels were seen to contain only colourless transparent fluid ; 

 those "of the glands including as usual some granular matter. 

 These strips were then immersed in the same solution as before 

 ( one part of the carbonate to 109 of water ), and in a few 

 minutes granular matter appeared in the lower cells of all the 

 pedicels. The action invariably commenced (for I tried the 

 experiment repeatedly) in the lowest cells, and therefore close 

 to the torn surface, and then gradually travelled up the hairs 

 until it reached the glands, in a reversed direction to what 

 occurs in uninjured specimens. The glands then became dis- 

 coloured, and the previously contained granular matter was 

 aggregated into larger masses. Two short bits of a flower-stem 

 were also left for 2 hrs. 40 m. in a weaker solution of one part 

 of the carbonate to 218 of water ; and in both specimens the 

 pedicels of the hairs near the cut ends now contained much 

 granular matter ; and the glands were completely discoloured. 



Lastly, bits of meat were placed on some glands ; theee were 

 examined after 23 hrs., as were others, which had apparently 

 not long before caught minute flies ; but they did not present any 



