Chap. XII.] DROSERA BINATA. 229 



this time began to curve inwards. Ultimately a large drop of 

 extremely viscid, slightly acid secretion was poured over the meat 

 from the united glands. Several other glands were touched with a 

 little saliva, and the tentacles became incurved in under 1 hr., 

 and re-expanded after 18 hrs. Particles of glass, cork, cinders, 

 thread, and gold-leaf, were placed on numerous glands on two 

 leaves; in about 1 hr. four tentacles became curved, and four 

 others after an additional interval of 2 hrs. 30 m. I never once 

 succeeded in causing any movement by repeatedly touching the 

 glands with a needle; and Mrs. Treat made similar trials for me 

 with no success. Small flies were placed on several leaves near 

 their tips, but the thread-like blade became only on one occasion 

 very slightly bent, directly beneath the insect. Perhaps this indi- 

 cates that the blades of vigorous plants would bend over captured 

 insects, and Dr. Canby informs me that this is the case; but the 

 movement cannot be strongly pronounced, as it was not observed 

 by Mre. Treat. 



Drosera binata (or dichotoma).* I am much indebted to Lady 

 Dorothy Nevill for a fine plant of this almost gigantic Australian 

 species, which difTers in some interesting points from those previ- 

 ously described. In this specimen the rush-like footstalks of the 

 leaves were 20 inches in length. The blade bifurcates at its junc- 

 tion with the footstalk, and twice or thrice afterwards, curling 

 about in an irregular manner. It is narrow, being only ^ of an 

 inch in breadth. One blade was 7i inches long, so that the entire 

 leaf, including the footstalk, was above 27 inches in length. Both 

 surfaces are slightly hollowed out. The upper surface is covered 

 with tentacles arranged in alternate rows; those in the middle 

 being short and crowded together, those towards the margins 

 longer, even twice or thrice as long as the blade is broad. The 

 glands of the exterior tentacles are of a much darker red than those 

 of the central ones. The pedicels of all are green. The apex of the 

 blade is attenuated, and bears very long tentacles. Mr. Copland 

 informs me that the leaves of a plant which he kept for some years 

 were generally covered with captured insects before they withered. 



The leaves do not differ in essential points of structure or of 

 function from those of the previously described species. Bits of 

 meat or a little saliva placed on the glands of the exterior tentacles 

 caused well-marked movement in 3 m., and particles of glass acted 

 in 4 m. The tentacles ^vith the latter particles re-expanded after 

 22 hrs. A piece of leaf immersed in a few drops of a solution of 

 one part of carbonate of ammonia to 437 of water had all the 

 glands blackened and all the tentacles inflected in 5 m. A bit of 

 raw meat, placed on several glands in the medial furrow, was well 

 clasped in 2 hrs. 10 m. by the marginal tentacles on both sides. 

 Bits of roast meat and small flies did not act quite so quickly; 

 and albumen and fibrin still less quickly. One of the bits of meat 

 excited so much secretion (which is always acid) that it flowed 



* [8e B. Morren, ' Bull, de pinnt Is fli^nred. and some expert- 

 I'Acad. Royale de Belgique,' 2 meuts described. F. D.J 

 sCrle, .torn. 40, 1875, where the 



