dried. The other particle caused a few of the short adjoining tentacles
to be inflected, the more distant ones not being affected. After 24
hrs. both were almost, and after 72 hrs. completely, dissolved.
Experiment 2. The same experiment with the same result, only one of the
two bits of fibrin exciting the short surrounding tentacles. This bit
was so slowly acted on that after a day I pushed it on to some fresh
glands. In three days from the time when it was first placed on the
leaf it was completely dissolved.
Experiment 3. Bits of fibrin of about the same size as before were
placed on the discs of two leaves; these caused very little inflection
in 23 hrs., but after 48 hrs. both were well clasped by the surrounding
short tentacles, and after an additional 24 hrs. were completely
dissolved. On the disc of one of these leaves much clear acid fluid was
left.
Experiment 4. Similar bits of fibrin were placed on the discs of two
leaves; as after 2 hrs. the glands seemed rather dry, they were freely
moistened with saliva; this soon caused strong inflection both of the
tentacles and blades, with copious [page 102] secretion from the
glands. In 18 hrs. the fibrin was completely liquefied, but undigested
atoms still floated in the liquid; these, however, disappeared in under
two additional days.]
From these experiments it is clear that the secretion completely
dissolves pure fibrin. The rate of dissolution is rather slow; but this
depends merely on this substance not exciting the leaves sufficiently,
so that only the immediately adjoining tentacles are inflected, and the
supply of secretion is small.
Syntonin. This substance, extracted from muscle, was kindly prepared
for me by Dr. Moore. Very differently from fibrin, it acts quickly and
energetically. Small portions placed on the discs of three leaves
caused their tentacles and blades to be strongly inflected within 8
hrs.; but no further observations were made. It is probably due to the
presence of this substance that raw meat is too powerful a stimulant,
often injuring or even killing the leaves.
Areolar Tissue. Small portions of this tissue from a sheep were placed
90