220 DEOSEKA EOTUNDIFOLIA. Chap. IX. 



In the two foregoing experiments the doses were evidently too 

 large and poisonous. With weaker doses, the anaesthetic effect 

 was variable, as in the case of chloroform. A plant was exposed 

 for 5 m. to ten drops under a 12-oz. vessel, and bits of meat were 

 then placed on many glands. None of the tentacles thus treated 

 began to move in a decided manner until 40 m. had elapsed ; but 

 then some of them moved very quickly, so that two reached the 

 centre after an additional interval of only 10 m. In 2 hrs. 12 m. 

 from the time when the meat was given, all the tentacles reached 

 the centre. Another plant, with two leaves, was exposed in the 

 same vessel for 5 m. to a rather larger dose of ether, and bits of 

 meat were placed on several glands. In this case one tentacle 

 on each leaf began to bend in 5 m. ; and after 12 m. two tentacles 

 on one leaf, and one on the second leaf, reached the centre. In 

 30 m. after the meat had been given, all the tentacles, both those 

 with and without meat, were closely inflected ; so that the ether 

 apparently had stimulated these leaves, causing all the tentacles 

 to bend. 



Vapour of Nitric Ether. — This vapour seems more injurious than 

 that of sulphuric ether. A plant was exposed for 5 m. in a 12- 

 oz. vessel to eight drops in a watch-glass, and I distinctly saw a 

 few tentacles curling inwards before the glass was removed. 

 Immediately afterwards bits of meat were placed on three 

 glands, but no movement ensued in the course of 18 m. The 

 same plant was placed again under the same vessel for 16 m. 

 with ten drops of the ether. None of the tentacles moved, 

 and next morning those with the meat were still in the same 

 position. After 48 hrs. one leaf seemed healthy, but the others 

 were much injured. 



Another plant, having two good leaves, was exposed for 6 m. 

 under a 19-oz. vessel to the vapour from ten minims of the 

 ether, and bits of meat were then placed on the glands of many 

 tentacles on both leaves. After 36 m. several of them on one 

 leaf became inflected, and after 1 hr. almost all the tentacles, 

 those with and without meat, nearly reached the centre. On 

 the other leaf the glands began to dry in 1 hr. 40 m., and after 

 several hours not a single tentacle was inflected; but by the 

 next morning, after 21 hrs., many were inflected, though they 

 seemed much injured. In this and the previous experiment, 

 it is doubtful, owing to the injury w^hich the leaves had sufl"ered, 

 whether any anaesthetic effect had been produced. 



A third plant, having two good leaves, was exposed for only 

 4 m. in the 19-oz. vessel to the vapour from six drops. Bits of 

 meat were then placed on the glands of seven tentacles on the 



