[87]

Digestion (Roast Beef)

Oct 2d / 73/

Put cube on Sept 30th at 8˚ 30' of not much done roast beef at on tentacle a leaf; it was moderately clasped by early adherence & closing at 7˚ P.m; clasped in afternoon & after 48˚ from time put on, opened the leaf — on Oct 2d 8˚ 30' (ie after 48˚) There was no trace of cube, but semi- opake transparent mass, surrounded by much very viscid gelatinous matter. — Under compound m. these striæ were well preserved here & there in middle; but exteriorly no trace — disintegrated angular fragments, with globule of oil & a little connective tissue.— There were many fibre muscular fibres which could be recognised by their outline without a trace of striae; & by following these to the centre, the striæ gradually & clearly appeared so that digestion destroys striæ, as in human digestion. — (Look at i.e.— MS from from Oct 4th)

Oct 3' 8˚ 30' Looked at another cube— this consisted more of perfectly wing transparent mass of very viscid fluid — Examined under high power after scraping off contents of whole leaf I cd not see a trace of striæ— the whole was completely disintegrated & consisted of transparent fluid not mucus but of connective fibres— oil-globules & some sub-flake & particle of matter — On some of the other leaves, the cubes were in the same state (after 3 days) in others there were still no traces of central undigested mass— weather had not been very hot

[87v]

When the secretion (from some stimulus) of Drosera becomes acid — it may for convenience sake be called gastric juice. on digestion