The Rev. Dr. Curtis first observed (’Boston Journal Nat.  Hist.’ vol. i., p. 123) the secretion from the glands.  I may here add that a gardener, Mr. Knight, is said (Kirby and Spencer’s ’Introduction to Entomology,’ 1818, vol. i., p. 295) to have found that a plant of the Dionaea, on the leaves of which “he laid fine filaments of raw beef, was much more luxuriant in its growth than others not so treated.” [page 302]

1/10 broad; the leaf was then made to close.  It was cut open after 45 hrs.  The albumen was hard and compressed, with its angles only a little rounded; the gelatine was corroded into an oval form; and both were bathed in so much acid secretion that it dropped off the leaf.  The digestive process apparently is rather slower than in Drosera, and this agrees with the length of time during which the leaves remain closed over digestible objects.

Experiment 2.—­A bit of albumen 1/10 of an inch square, but only 1/20 in thickness, and a piece of gelatine of the same size as before, were placed on a leaf, which eight days afterwards was cut open.  The surface was bathed with slightly adhesive, very acid secretion, and the glands were all in an aggregated condition.  Not a vestige of the albumen or gelatine was left.  Similarly sized pieces were placed at the same time on wet moss on the same pot, so that they were subjected to nearly similar conditions; after eight days these were brown, decayed, and matted with fibres of mould, but had not disappeared.

Experiment 3.—­A piece of albumen 3/20 of an inch (3.81 mm.) long, and 1/20 broad and thick, and a piece of gelatine of the same size as before, were placed on another leaf, which was cut open after seven days; not a vestige of either substance was left, and only a moderate amount of secretion on the surface.

Experiment 4.—­Pieces of albumen and gelatine, of the same size as in the last experiment, were placed on a leaf, which spontaneously opened after twelve days, and here again not a vestige of either was left, and only a little secretion at one end of the midrib.

Experiment 5.—­Pieces of albumen and gelatine of the same size were placed on another leaf, which after twelve days was still firmly closed, but had begun to wither; it was cut open, and contained nothing except a vestige of brown matter where the albumen had lain.

Experiment 6.—­A cube of albumen of 1/10 of an inch and a piece of gelatine of the same size as before were placed on a leaf, which opened spontaneously after thirteen days, The albumen, which was twice as thick as in the latter experiments, was too large; for the glands in contact with it were injured and were dropping off; a film also of albumen of a brown colour, matted with mould, was left.  All the gelatine was absorbed, and there was only a little acid secretion left on the midrib.

Experiment 7.—­A bit of half roasted meat (not measured) and a bit of gelatine were placed on the two ends of a leaf, which [page 303] opened spontaneously after eleven days; a vestige of the meat was left, and the surface of the leaf was here blackened; the gelatine had all disappeared.