244 DIONHA MUSCIPULA. (Cuar. XIII. 
well fitted as Drosera for observation, as the process goes on 
within the closed lobes. Insects, even beetles, after being 
subjected to the secretion for several days, are surprisingly 
softened, though their chitinous coats are not corroded. 
Experiment 1.—A cube of albumen of +5 of an inch (2-540 mm.) 
was placed at one end of a leaf, and at the other end an oblong piece 
of gelatine, 2 of an inch (5°08 mm.) long, and ~4 broad; the leaf was 
then made to close. It was cut open after 45 hrs. The albumen was 
hard and compressed, with its angles only a little rounded; the gelatine 
was corroded into an oval form; and both were bathed in so much 
acid secretion that it dropped off the leaf. The digestive process 
apparently is rather slower than in Drosera, and this agrees with the 
length of time during which the leaves remain closed over digestible 
objects. 
Experiment 2.—A bit of albumen 34, of an incli square, but only 
zy in thickness, and a piece of gelatine of the same size as before, were 
placed on a leaf, which eight days afterwards was cut open. The sur- 
face was bathed with slightly adhesive, very acid secretion, and the 
glands were all in an aggregated condition. Not a vestige of the 
albumen or gelatine was left. Similarly sized pieces were placed at 
the same time on wet moss on the same pot, so that they were sub- 
jected to nearly similar conditions ; after eight days these were brown, 
decayed, and matted with fibres of mould, but had not disappeared. 
Experiment 3.—A picce of albumen <3; of an inch (3°81 mm.) long, 
and 55 broad and thick, and a piece of gelatine of the same size as 
before, were placed on another leaf, which was cut open after seven 
days; not a vestige of either substance was left, and only a moderate 
amount of secretion on the surface. 
Experiment 4.—Pieces of albumen and gelatine, of the same size as 
in the last experiment, were placed on a leaf, which spontaneously 
opened after twelve days, and here again not a vestige of either was 
left, and only a little secretion at one end of the midrib. 
Experiment 5.—Pieces of albumen and gelatine of the same size were 
placed on another leaf, which after twelve days was still firmly closed, 
but had begun to wither; it was cut open, and contained nothing 
except a vestige of brown matter where the albumen had lain. 
Experiment 6.—A cube of albumen of ¥; of an inch and a piece of 
gelatine of the same size as before were placed on a leaf, which opened 
spontaneously after thirteen days. The albumen, which was twice as 
thick as in the latter experiments, was too large; for the glands in 
contact with it were injured and were dropping off; a film also of 
albumen of a brown colour, matted with mould, was left. All the 
gelatine was absorbed, and there was only a little acid secretion left on 
the midrib. 
Experiment 7.—A bit of half roasted meat (not measured) and a 
bit of gelatine were placed on the two ends of a leaf, which opened 
