[125]

Big. Venusta June 28 1864 — The tarsus of the t. 4 times as long as the toes these 3 diverge & make a grapnel instead of being parallel. Each toe & tarsus can catch a stick. Tendrils after catching contract into reversed spires.—

(In B. speciosa do so — but the long uncaught tendrils merely depend & do not contract—) The tendril will ultimately seize parts well on thin twigs.)

End of hook 3 points of grapnel blunt curved point— blunt hook.

The 3 hooks are equal. Equally divergent, with hooked point turned outwards—

(Two large fine ¤s against sun in 2°. 15' & 2° 55'.)

I shall have here to discuss spontaneous movement of tendrils (& contraction?)

(July 8th It is certain that t. have wide independent movement of one in widely different directions.)

tarsus ends in thin short equal branches or toes which do not lie in a plane, [sketch]

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[125v]

Try sensibility of Hooks & tarsus

Contraction spontaneous of t. — Movement from light Movement of tendrils spont.—

Will it twine?

When rubbed externally they bend, but rubbed harden internally (which corresponds with upper surface of birds' foot) no action whatever — They are not very sensitive for slight rubbing caused slight flexure in tarsus & toes in 1°. & slightly more in 2° —yet will well catch a stick — The hooked tips act like a grapnel with 3 arms— directed all ways.—

I must state distinctly under first species viz B. venusta which spirally contracts, that contraction after catching differs from contraction when nothing caught— this in all cases.

Tarsus catches vertical stick sometimes generally the foot—

If B. speciosa goes into hole — it is like [illeg]—