Cuar. IX.] VAPOUR OF CHLOROFORM. 177 
elands immediately blackened, and after 1 hr. their tentacles somewhat 
inflected, and the protoplasm aggregated. But it would be an endless 
task to endeavour to ascertain the wonderfully diversified effects of 
various solutions on Drosera. 
Alcohol (one part to seven of water).—It has already been shown 
that half-minims of this strength placed on the discs of leaves do not 
cause any inflection; and that when two days afterwards the leaves 
were given bits of meat, they became strongly inflected. Four leaves 
were immersed in this mixture, and two of them after 30 m. were 
brushed with a camel-hair brush, like leaves in a solution of camphor, 
but this produced no effect. Nor did these four leaves, on being left 
for 24 hrs. in the diluted alcohol, undergo any inflection. They were 
then removed; one being placed in an infusion of raw meat, and bits 
of meat on the discs of the other three, with their stalks in water. 
Next day one seemed a little injured, whilst two others showed merely a 
trace of inflection. We must, however, bear in mind that immersion 
for 24 hrs. in water prevents leaves from clasping meat. Hence alcohol 
of the above strength is not poisonous, nor does it stimulate the leaves 
like camphor does. 
The vapour of alcohol acts differently. A plant having three good 
leaves was left for 25 m. under a receiver holding 19 oz. with sixty 
minims of alcohol in a watch-glass. No movement ensued, but some 
few of the glands were blackened and shrivelled, whilst many became 
quite pale. These were scattered over all the leaves in the most 
irregular manner, reminding me of the manner in which the glands 
were affected by the vapour of carbonate of ammonia. Immediately 
on the removal of the receiver particles of raw meat were placed on 
many of the glands, those which retained their proper colour being 
chiefly selected. But not a single tentacle was inflected during the 
next 4 hrs, After the first 2 hrs. the glands on all the tentacles 
began to dry; and next morning, after 22 hrs., all three leaves 
appeared almost dead, with their glands dry; the tentacles on one leaf 
alone being partially inflected. 
A second plant was left for only 5 m. with some alcohol in a watch- 
glass, under a 12-oz. receiver, and particles of meat were then placed 
on the glands of several tentacles. After 10 m.some of them began tc 
curve inwards, and after 55 m. nearly all were considerably inflected ; 
but a few did not move. Some anesthethic effect is here probable, but 
by no means certain. A third plant was also left for 5 m. under the 
same small vessel, with its whole inner surface wetted with about a 
dozen drops of alcohol. Particles of meat were now placed on the 
glands of several tentacles, some of which first began to move in 25 m.; 
after 40 m. most of them were somewhat inflected, and after 1 hr. 
10 m. almost all were considerably inflected. From their slow rate of 
movement there can be no doubt that the glands of these tentacles 
had been rendered insensible for a time by exposure during 5 m. to the 
vapour of alcohol. 
Vapour of Chloroform.—The action of this vapour on Drosera is 
X 
