206 DROSERA ROTUNDIFOLIA. Cuar. IX 
sometimes did not do so. At one time I felt convinced that 
morphia acted as a narcotic on Drosera, but after having found 
in what a singular manner immersion in certain non-poisonous 
salts and acids prevents the subsequent action of phosphate of 
ammonia, whereas other solutions have no such power, my 
first conviction seems very doubtful. 
Katract of Hyoseyomus.—Several leaves were placed, each in 
thirty minims of an infusion of 3 grs. of the extract sold by 
druggists to 1 oz. of water. One of them, after being immersed 
for 5 hrs. 15 m., was not inflected, and was then put into a 
solution (1 gr. to 1 oz.) of carbonate of ammonia; after 2 hrs. 
40 m. it was found considerably inflected, and the glands 
much blackened. Four of the leaves, after being immersed for 
2 hrs. 14 m., were placed in 120 minims of a solution (1 gr. to 
20 oz.) of phosphate of ammonia; they had already become 
slightly inflected from the hyoscyamus, probably owing to the 
presence of some albuminous matter, as formerly explained, 
but the inflection immediately increased, and after 1 hr. was 
strongly pronounced; so that hyoscyamus does not act as a 
uarcotic or poison. 
Poison from the Fang of a Living Adder.—Minute drops were 
placed on the glands of many tentacles; these were quickly 
inflected, just as if saliva had been given them. Next morning, 
after 17 hrs. 30 m., all were beginning to re-expand, and they 
appeared uninjured. 
Poison from the Cobra.—Dr. Fayrer, well known from his 
investigations on the poison of this deadly snake, was so kind 
as to give me some in a dried state. It is an albuminous 
substance, and is believed to replace the ptyaline of saliva.* A 
minute drop (about 3, of a minim) of a solution of one part to 
437 of water was applied to the secretion round four glands; so 
that each received only about zgh;5 of a grain (0016 mg.). The 
operation was repeated on four other glands; and in 15 m. 
several of the eight tentacles became well inflected, and all of 
them in 2 hrs. Next morning, after 24 hrs., they were still 
inflected, and the glands of a very pale pink colour. After an 
alditional 24 hrs. they were nearly re-expanded, and completely 
so on the succeeding day; but most of the glands remained 
almost white. 
Half-minims of the same solution were placed on the discs of 
three leaves, so that each received 54, of a grain (0675 mg.); in 
Dr. Fayrer, ‘The Thanatophidia of India,’ 1872, p. 150 
