Omar. XV. THEIR POWER OF ABSORPTION. 347 
green, a few being still unaffected. The little masses ot proto- 
plasm within the cells were seen in movement. The cells of the 
pedicels were unaltered. The experiment was repeated, and a 
fresh flower-stem was left for 23 hrs. in the solution, and now a 
great effect was produced; all the glands were much blackened, 
and the previously transparent fluid in the cells of the pedicels, 
even down to their bases, contained spherical masses of granular 
matter. By comparing many different hairs, it was evident that 
the glands first absorb the carbonate, and that the effect thus 
produced travels down the hairs from cell to cell. The first 
change which could be observed is a cloudy appearance in the 
fluid, due to the formation of very fine granules, which after- 
wards aggregate into larger masses. Altogether, in the darken- 
ing of the glands, and in the process of aggregation travelling 
down the cells of the pedicels, there is the closest resemblance 
to what takes place when a tentacle of Drosera is immersed in 
a weak solution of the same salt. The glands, however, absorb 
very much more slowly than those of Drosera. Besides the 
glandular hairs, there are star-shaped organs which do not 
appear to secrete, and which were not in the least affected by 
the above solutions. 
Although in the case of uninjured flower-stems and leaves 
the carbonate seems to be absorbed only by the glands, yet 
it enters a cut surface much more quickly than a gland. Strips 
of the rind of a flower-stem were torn off, and the cells of the 
pedicels were seen to contain only colourless transparent fluid ; 
those of the glands including as usual some granular matter. 
These strips were then immersed in the same solution as before 
(one part of the carbonate to 109 of water), and in a few 
minutes granular matter appeared in the lower cells of all the 
pedicels. ‘The action invariably commenced (for I tried the 
experiment repeatedly) in the lowest cells, and therefore close 
to the torn surface, and then gradually travelled up the hairs 
until it reached the glands, in a reversed direction to what 
occurs in uninjured specimens. The glands then became dis- 
coloured, and the previously contained granular matter was 
aggregated into larger masses. Two short bits of a flower-stem 
were also left for 2 hrs. 40 m. in a weaker solution of one part 
of the carbonate to 218 of water; and in both specimens the 
pedicels of the hairs near the cut ends now contained much 
granular matter; and the glands were completely discoloured. 
Lastly, bits of meat were placed on some glands; these were 
examined after 23 hrs., as were others, which had apparently 
got long before caught minute flies; but they did not present any 
