[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 5º 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 4º 35' began a great movement like yesterdays' plant & this due to rising of edge of plant & end of bristle. After 8º 25 off glass & continued to rise all night & next morning till at least 9º 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 8º 45 to 10º 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