The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1860.11.23. Action of Single Hairs. CUL-DAR54.4. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 5.2022. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR 54-61 contain material for Darwin's book Insectivorous plants (1875).

[4]

Action of Single Hairs. Nov. 23/60

I thought might be distortion of sphere of viscid fluid — but coalescence of two shown not.

I thought again that it might be some otherkind of disturbance of the viscid fluid, more especially as atoms did not seem always (as far as I could judge to touch gland; therefore I removed under lens whole viscid drop with painted blotting paper from 6 hairs on 3 leaves; but action of air on dry or nearly dry gland produced no effect in 24°. I subsequently tested 4 of these hair with atoms of raw meat & they acted well, as did some of the other Hairs. So left to weight.

There is minimum for I have often seen atoms of dust or film of cobweb or silk not produce any action=

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)