THE SUNDEWS. 



When an insect is caug-ht by this process, a much 

 more remarkable phenomenon takes place, which 

 was thoroughly examined by Mr. Darwin and de- 

 clared in the following terms :— " When an object, 

 such as a bit of meat or an insect, is placed on the 

 disc of a leaf, as soon as the surrounding tentacles 

 become considerably inflected, their glands pour 

 forth an increased amount of secretion. I ascer- 

 tained this by selecting leaves with equal-sized drops 

 on the two sides, and by placing bits of meat on one 

 side of the disc ; and as soon as the tentacles on 

 this side became much inflected, but before the 

 glands touched the meat, the drops of secretion be- 

 came larger. This was repeatedly observed, but a 

 record was kept of only thirteen cases, in nine of 

 which increased secretion was plainly observed ; the 

 four failures being due either to the leaves being 

 rather torpid, or the l?its of meat too small to cause 

 much inflection." ^ This is an important fact, as it 

 shows conclusively some relationship between the 

 action of inflection in the hairs and the amount of 

 viscid secretion exuded. 



There is, however, another important fact which 

 must be taken into account in connexion with that 

 just recorded. It is, that not only is the secretion 

 increased in quantity, but it also undergoes a change 



* Darwin, " Insectivorous Plants," p. 14. 



