Fluid in the Ascidia o/* Nepenthes. 195 



by the red colour it assumed when dipped in the water. When 

 heated it remained clear, and only assumed a slightly yellow 

 colour when the liquid became very concentrated. The residue 

 which remained on evaporation was cream-coloured, very hygro- 

 scopic, and dissolved entirely in a small quantity of distilled 

 water. Litmus paper plunged in this solution was turned red 

 immediately ; the acid which is present in the water therefore was 

 not volatilized during the evaporation. 



The quantity of the water from one pitcher amounted to 



17*41 grains, 

 which gave on evaporation 



0-16 of dry residue, dried at 312° F. 

 100 parts of the fluid consequently contained 



0*92 per cent, of solid matter. 



2. "Water from unopened pitcher-plants grown in the Botani- 

 cal Garden, Edinburgh, June 13th, 1849. 



The physical characters were the same as those of the preceding 

 liquid. Litmus paper likewise was turned red when dipped in 

 the water. 



The behaviour of the water towards chemical tests was as fol- 

 lows : — 



Ammonia produced no change. 



Carbonate of ammonia produced no change. 



Lime-water produced no change. 



Chloride of calcium and ammonia produced no change. 



Nitrate of barytes produced no change. 



Nitrate of silver gave a white voluminous precipitate, inso- 

 luble in nitric acid, but soluble in ammonia. 



Acetate of lead produced a white precipitate soluble for the 

 greater part in boiling water. 



Basic acetate of lead gave a white voluminous precipitate in 

 the clear liquid filtered from the precipitate which was caused by 

 neutral acetate of lead. 



Oxalate of ammonia produced a small white precipitate of 

 oxalate of lime. 



Phosphate of soda and ammonia, added to the concentrated 

 liquid filtered from the oxalate of lime, gave a crystalline white 

 precipitate of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia. 



Chloride of platinum, added to the water after having been 

 evaporated to a small bulk, produced a crystalline yellow preci- 

 pitate. 



The residue left on evaporation of the water coloured the alco- 

 hol flame yellow. 



These reactions indicate the presence of chlorine, potash, soda, 

 magnesia, lime and organic acids, and prove the absence of other 



2 



