Twelve hours afterwards the end with the albumen opened, which now consisted of a large drop of transparent, not acid, viscid fluid.
Experiment 12.--Same experiment as the two last, and here again the leaf at the end enclosing the cheese opened before the [page 304] opposite end with the albumen; but no further observations were made.
Experiment 13.--A globule of chemically prepared casein, about 1/10 of an inch in diameter, was placed on a leaf, which spontaneously opened after eight days. The casein now consisted of a soft sticky mass, very little, if at all, reduced in size, but bathed in acid secretion.]
These experiments are sufficient to show that the secretion from the glands of Dionaea dissolves albumen, gelatine, and meat, if too large pieces are not given. Globules of fat and fibro-elastic tissue are not digested. The secretion, with its dissolved matter, if not in excess, is subsequently absorbed. On the other hand, although chemically prepared casein and cheese (as in the case of Drosera) excite much acid secretion, owing, I presume, to the absorption of some included albuminous matter, these substances are not digested, and are not appreciably, if at all, reduced in bulk.
[Effects of the Vapours of Chloroform, Sulphuric Ether, and Hydrocyanic Acid.--A plant bearing one leaf was introduced into a large bottle with a drachm (3.549 ml.) of chloroform, the mouth being imperfectly closed with cotton-wool. The vapour caused in 1 m. the lobes to begin moving at an imperceptibly slow rate; but in 3 m. the spikes crossed, and the leaf was soon completely shut. The dose, however, was much too large, for in between 2 and 3 hrs. the leaf appeared as if burnt, and soon died.
Two leaves were exposed for 30 m. in a 2-oz: vessel to the vapour of 30 minims (1.774 ml.) of sulphuric ether. One leaf closed after a time, as did the other whilst being removed from the vessel without being touched. Both leaves were greatly injured. Another leaf, exposed for 20 m. to 15 minims of ether, closed its lobes to a certain extent, and the sensitive filaments were now quite insensible. After 24 hrs. this leaf recovered its sensibility, but was still rather torpid. A leaf exposed in a large bottle for only 3 m. to ten drops was rendered insensible. After 52 m. it recovered its sensibility, and when one of the filaments was touched, the lobes closed. It began [page 305] to reopen after 20 hrs. Lastly another leaf was exposed for 4 m. to only four drops of the ether; it was rendered insensible, and did not close when its filaments were repeatedly touched, but closed when the end of the open leaf was cut off. This shows either that the internal parts had not been rendered insensible, or that an incision is a more powerful stimulus than repeated touches on the filaments. Whether the larger doses of chloroform and ether, which caused the leaves to close slowly, acted on the sensitive filaments or on the leaf itself, I do not know.
Cyanide of potassium, when left in a bottle, generates prussic or hydrocyanic acid. A leaf was exposed for 1 hr. 35 m. to the vapour thus formed; and the glands became within this time so colourless and shrunken as to be scarcely visible, and I at first thought that they had all dropped off. The leaf was not rendered insensible; for as soon as one of the filaments was touched it closed. It had, however, suffered, for it did not reopen until nearly two days had passed, and was not even then in the least sensitive. After an additional day it recovered its powers, and closed on being touched and subsequently reopened. Another leaf behaved in nearly the same manner after a shorter exposure to this vapour.]
On the Manner in which Insects are caught.--We will now consider the action of the leaves when insects happen to touch one of the sensitive filaments. This often occurred in my greenhouse, but I do not know whether insects are attracted in any special way by the leaves. They are caught in large numbers by the plant in its native country. As soon as a filament is touched, both lobes close with astonishing quickness; and as they stand at less than a right angle to each other, they have a good chance of catching any intruder.