266 ALDROVANDA VESICULOSA. [Chap. XIV. 



of the quadrifids included a few spherical granules, but 

 several were transparent and empty, and their positions 

 were marked. This leaf was now immersed in a little solu- 

 tion of one part of urea to 146 of water, or three grains to 

 the ounce. After 3 hrs. 40 m. there was no change either 

 in the glands or quadrifids ; nor was there ' any certain 

 change in the glands after 24 hrs.; so that, as far as one 

 trial goes, urea does not act on them in the same manner as 

 an infusion of raw meat. It was different with the quadri- 

 fids; for the lining of protoplasm, instead of presenting a 

 uniform texture, was now slightly shrunk, and exhibited in 

 many places minute, thickened, irregular, yellowish specks 

 and ridges, exactly like those which appear within the quad- 

 rifids of Utricularia when treated with this same solution. 

 Moreover, several of the quadrifids, which were before empty, 

 now contained moderately sized or very small, more or less 

 aggregated, globules of yellowish matter, as likewise occurs 

 under the same circumstances with Utricularia. Some of 

 the points on the infolded margins of the lobes were similar- 

 ly affected; for their lining of protoplasm was a little 

 shrunk and included yellowish specks; and those which were 

 before empty now contained small spheres and irregular 

 masses of hyaline matter, more or less aggregated; so that 

 both the points on the margins and the quadrifids had ab- 

 sorbed matter from the solution in the course of 24 hrs.; 

 but to this subject I shall recur. In another rather old 

 leaf, to which nothing had been given, but which had been 

 kept in foul water, some of the quadrifids contained aggre- 

 gated translucent globules. These were not acted on by a 

 solution of one part of carbonate of ammonia to 218 of 

 water: and this negative result agrees with what I have 

 observed under similar circumstances with Utricularia. 



Aldrovanda vesiculosa, var. australis. Dried leaves of 

 this plant from Queensland in Australia were sent me by 

 Prof. Oliver from the herbarium at Kew. Whether it ought 

 to be considered as a distinct species or a variety, cannot be 

 told until the flowers are examined by a botanist. The pro- 

 jections at the upF)er end of the petiole (from four to six in 

 number) are considerably longer relatively to the blade, and 

 much more attenuated than those of the European form. 

 They are thickly covered for a considerable space near their 



