132 



EVENINGS AT THE MICKOSCOrE. 



a minute fleshy bulb. Those from the areas near and 

 at the margins of the palms more and more arch out- 

 ■wards, so that the space covered by the bulbs of the 

 filaments is considerably greater than that of the 

 palm itself. 



Now it is evident that the bulbous extremities of 

 these soft filaments are the organs of adhesion. We 

 notice how they drag and hold, as the fly draws its foot 

 from its place, and it seems almost certain that the ad- 

 hesion is effected by means of a glutinous secretion 

 poured out in minute qiiantities from these fleshy tips. 

 When the foot is suddenly removed, we may often see 

 a number of tiny particles of fluid left on the glass where 



the filaments had been in con- 

 tact with it : but I do not 

 build conclusively on this ap- 

 pearance, because the fly, 

 having been confined for 

 some quarter of an hour in 

 this nearly tight glass cell, 

 has doubtless exhaled some 

 moisture, which has condens- 

 ed on the glass ; and the specks 

 we see may possibly be due 

 to the filaments of the palms 

 having become wet by repeat- 

 edly brushing the moist sur- 

 face. Mr. Hepworth, how- 

 ever, asserts that a fluid is 

 poured out from these fila- 

 ments, and is deposited on 

 the glass, when the fly is vigorous, with great regularity. 

 He says that "when in a partially dormant state, the 



FOOT OF FLT. 



