TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 123 



system of ph3-siological tuition is rapidly extending over tlie country. In the 

 London schools, in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Manchester, and elsewhere, earnest 

 etibrt3 are being made to give a thoroughly practical aspect to the tuition of our 

 science; and, notwithstanding the imperfect results which must necessarily ensue in 

 the absence of suitable endowment, we can nevertheless point to the fact that the 

 effect of these efibrts has been to awaken a love for physiological research in the 

 mind of many a student ; and the results of this awakening are akeady apparent in 

 the archives of the Iloj'al Societies, in the ' Journal of Anatomy and Physiology,' 

 and elsewhere. But physiological research is most expensive and laborious, and it 

 is, moreover, unremunerative. The labours of the physiologist are entirely philan- 

 thropic ; all his researches do nothing but contribute to the increase of human 

 happiness by the prevention of disease and the amelioration of suffering ; and I 

 would venture to suggest to those who are possessed of wealth and of a desire to 

 apply it for the benefit of society, that, in view of the wholly unselfish and philan- 

 thropic character of physiological labours, they coidd not do better than endow 

 laboratories for the prosecution of physiological research. 



We anticipate great benefit to the community not only fi-om an advance of 

 physiology, but from a difl'usion of a knowledge of its leading facts amongst the 

 people. This is now being carried out in our schools on a scale which is annually 

 increasing. Thanks to the eftorts of Huxley, the principles of physiology are now 

 presented in a singularly palatable form to the minds of the young. The instruc- 

 tion communicated does not consist of technical terms and numbers, but in the 

 elucidation of the principal events which happen within om- bodies, together with 

 an explanation of the treatment which they must receive in order to be maintained 

 in health. Considering how much may be accomplished by these bodies of ours if 

 the_y be properly attended to and rightly used, it seems to be a most desirable thing 

 that the possessor of the body should know something about its mechanism, not 

 only because such knowledge affords him much material for suggestive thought — not 

 only because it is excellent mental training to endeavour to imderstand the why and 

 the wherefore of the bodily actions — but also because he may greatly profit from a 

 knowledge of the conditions of health. A thorough adoption of hygienic measm-es 

 (in other words, of measures which are necessary to preserve individuals in the highest 

 state of Iiealth) cannot be hoped for until a knowledge of fundamental physiological 

 principles finds its way into every family. This coimtry has taken the lead in the 

 attempt to diffuse a sound knowledge of physiological facts and principles among 

 the people, and we may fairly anticipate that this will contribute not a little to 

 enable her to maintain her high rank amongst nations ; for every step which ia 

 calculated to improve the physiological state of the individual must inevitably 

 contribute to make the nation successful in the general struggle for existence. 



On the Movements of the Glands o/Drosera*. 

 By AiFEED W. Bexnett, F.L.S, 



The glands which fringe the margin of the leaf and cover the upperside of the leaf 

 of Drosera have been shown by previous observers not to be hairs in the true sense 

 of the term, t. e. mere cellular expansions of the epidermis, but to be integi-al parts 

 of the leaf, with a fibro-vascular Dundle containing spiral threads (in other words, 

 'a vein or nerve of the leaf) running through them, and even to be furnished with 

 stomata. The glands excrete at all times, when in a healthy condition, a white 

 viscous gluten, which quickly entraps any small insect that settles upon the leaf, 

 gradually holding it down more and more as it struggles, till escape is hopeless. The 

 glands soon begin to move towards the imprisoned insect ; btit this movement is not 

 very conspicuous at first, and is very much more decided after the insect has almost 

 completely ceased to struggle, thus appearing not to be due to any "contractile tissue" 

 in the leaf which is irritnted by the movements of the insect. After the lapse of some 

 time the whole of tlie glands of the leaf, even those which are at a considerable 



» Quart. JouMi. Micr. See, Oct. 187(5. 



9* 



