58 GEOEGB JOHN EOMANES 1876- 



graduated stimuli, areas of different degrees of excita- 

 bility may be mapped out, and these areas are pretty 

 large, averaging about the size of one's finger-nails. 

 I am rather inclined to think that these areas are 

 determined by the course of well-differentiated nerve- 

 tracts, while the less-differentiated ones are probably 

 more hke mushn in their mesh. But the only reason 

 why I resort to the supposition of nerve-tracts at all 

 is because of the sudden blocking of contractile waves 

 by section, and the fact that stimulus (tentacular) 

 waves very often continue to pass after the contractile 

 ones have been thus blocked. 



I am sorry I made the ungallant mistake about 

 Miss Lawless, but I ha,d no means of knowing. If I 

 had known I should not have written the letter, be- 

 cause I am almost sure the movements of the Medusa 

 were accidental, and my pointing out this source of 

 error may be discouraging to a lady observer. 



I remember thinking you were too diffident about 

 the bloom, but I suppose that is the advantage of 

 experience ; it keeps one from forming too high hopes 

 at the first. 



The rest of your letter contains glorious news. 

 Cohn, I suppose, is about the best man in Europe to 

 take up the subject, and although I cannot conceive 

 what else he can do than Frank has done already, it 

 is no doubt most desirable that his opinion should be 

 formed by working at the problems himself. 



The other item about the effects of feeding Drosera 

 is really most important, and in particular about the 

 starch. I have heard the doubts you allude to 

 expressed in several quarters, but this will set them 



