[245]

Oct 31' /77/

Marchantia

Ma Little plant with free crest projecting 3/20 of inch. with bristle filament of glass fixed to it & mark below — Kept in dark, traced on horizontal glass— Tracing magnified 109.7 say 110 times. See diagram. Incredible as it may appear I think there must be nutation, though of course such observation liable to error.— More especially as I transplanted the cake of earth with the little plant— the great movement to the right late from 5° 45' to 10' P.m. makes me suspect that bristle slipped. (Not used not worth it.)

(Nov I. fixed filament to another & smaller disc-like plant, & traced movement, but so much magnified & pin head so large, that not at all trustworthy tracing. However at 4° 35' began a great movement like yesterdays' plant & this due to rising of edge of plant & end of bristle. After 8° 25 off glass & continued to rise all night & next morning till at least 9° 30' A.m.— I damped gum of filament, fell a trifle & afterwards rose again, & next morning continued to rise Can gum have killed or injured plant?)

( Nov. 2d made tracing (Diagram 3) of crest of another little plant from 8° 45 to 10° P.m fell almost all days & even a trace following night.— I believe whole case simply that crest curls about from being kept in dry air instead of in humid hothouse, in shaded Place.—

I think all quite useless