EEPOETS PEOM THE SECTIONS. 303 



some of the teutacles from tliis plant they presented the same 

 granulated appearance. 



The effect of the application of heat by boiling is to produce 

 coagulation of the albumen, and render the whole of the glands 

 opaque, and of a brilliant white porcelain appearance, — the 

 tentacles are immediately bowed back, and the whole of the 

 frond rendered flaccid ; but on submitting another portion of the 

 frond to either the fumes of strong ammonia, or immersion in a 

 very slight solution of liquid ammonia and water, the result 

 obtained was the instant inversion of the marginal tentacles, 

 the total disappearance of the red colour from the whole of the 

 glands, and the matter in them agglomerated into black nuclei. 

 Eut upon boiling a section of the frond in a solution of caustic 

 potash and distilled water, to obtain a better view of the struc- 

 ture of the spiral cells, I discovered that the back of the mid-rib 

 of the frond was studded with a number of stomata or breathing- 

 vessels, wliich heretofore have apparently not been observed. 



On repeating the same experiment on some of the inflected 

 tentacles which had enveloped a common house-fly, the black 

 spots which before were seen arranged around the head of the 

 gland now vanished, proving in a negative manner that they 

 consisted of nitrogenous matter absorbed into the orifices by the 

 plant. 



One other remarkable feature deserving especial notice are a 

 number of dorsal tentacles, having no power of movement, yet 

 capable of absorbing nutritive juices. 



I have noted with some curiosity the occasional presence of a 

 small insect or fly on the fronds of the Drosera hinata^ from 

 a.bout a quarter to half an inch in length, smooth and glossy, of 

 a red colour, with black and white spots on the backs of the 

 bodies, and long clean legs, devoid of hairs. It possesses the 

 remarkable power of walking all over the fronds without in any 

 way being impeded, or entrapped (as all other insects are) by the 

 treacherous drops of viscid fluid exuded from and adhering to the 

 glands. Most plants have their insect enemies, such as worms, 

 &c., which draw their nutriment from the leaves which they 

 devour ; but strange to say, this particular fly does not seem to 

 destroy the blades of the D. hinata in the least, and only lives 

 on the dead insects captured by the closing of the tentacles — 

 also in one instance when fragments of- raw meat were placed on 

 the blades, the fly seemed to be attracted towards them. 



There are many other points too numerous to mention in a 

 paper of this length connected with these truly wonderful plants, 

 and which would amply reward careful study. Several eminent 

 authorities — Dr. Darwin especially — have given them much at- 

 tention, and have written apparently exhaustively on the sub- 

 ject, but a careful observer will note much that has been left 



