276 DROSOPHYLLUM LUSITANICUM. [Chap. XV. 



caution that, soon after some of my plants arrived in the 

 spring from Portugal, the glands were not plainly acted on 

 by bits of meat, or insects, or a solution of ammonia a cir- 

 cumstance for which I cannot account. 



Digestion of Solid Animal Matter. Whilst I was trying 

 to place on two of the taller glands little cubes of albumen, 

 these slipped down, and, besmeared with secretion, were left 

 resting on some of the small sessile glands. After 24 hrs. 

 one of these cubes was found completely liquefied, but with 

 a few white streaks still visible; the other was much round- 

 ed, but not quite dissolved. Two other cubes were left on 

 tall glands for 2 hrs. 45 m., by which time all the secretion 

 was absorbed ; but they were not perceptibly acted on, though 

 no doubt some slight amount of animal matter had been 

 absorbed from them. They were then placed on the small 

 sessile glands, which being thus stimulated secreted copious- 

 ly in the course of 7 hrs. One of these cubes was much 

 liquefied within this short time; and both were completely 

 liquefied after 21 hrs. 15 m. ; the little liquid masses, how- 

 ever, still showing some white streaks. These streaks disap- 

 peared after an additional period of 6 hrs. 30 m. ; and by 

 next morning (t. e. 48 hrs. from the time when the cubes 

 were first placed on the glands) the liquefied matter was 

 wholly absorbed. A cube of albumen was left on another tall 

 gland, which first absorbed the secretion and after 24 hrs. 

 poured forth a fresh supply. This cube, now surrounded by 

 secretion, was left on the gland for an additional 24 hrs., but 

 was very little, if at all, acted on. We may therefore con- 

 clude, either that the secretion from the tall glands has 

 little power of digestion, though strongly acid, or that the 

 amount poured forth from a single gland is insufiicient to 

 dissolve a particle of albumen which within the same time 

 would have been dissolved by the secretion from several of 

 the small sessile glands. Owing to the death of my last 

 plant, I was unable to ascertain which of these alternatives 

 is the true one. 



Four minute shreds of pure fibrin were placed, each rest- 

 ing on one, two, or three of the taller glands. In the course 

 of 2 hrs. 30 m. the secretion was all absorbed, and the shreds 

 wore left almost dry. They were then pushed on to the ses- 

 sile glands. One shred, after 2 hrs. 30 m., seemed quite dis- 



