RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [ny].09.21. Examined hairs curled over fly whole length. CUL-DAR60.1.77-78. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 12.2022. 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).


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Sept. 21' 60. Examined hairs curled over fly also whole length. — The col internal bright pink contents of cells, are aggregated at base of each cell & semi- become opake — sometimes into solid mass, sometimes with a collection of spheres, more or less fused together & others a row of spheres, blended united like necklace, or fused together making a thread other with knob at upper end— This process takes place apparently more decidedly on the inner & most curved side. —

[sketch] (in segregated matter by exosmose in gum saw change of form.)

1/2 past 3 put leaf in white of egg

— at 4 oclock I found 2 contents had parted considerably

Examined hairs incurved over bit of cinder beautifully broken up other hairs on same leaf not broken up. —

Marginal hairs flattened in plane of disc

Pink submarginal hair after Fly with broken colour

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In albumen spec. content of cell, first become oval & shrink from bottom of wall. Water during longer period produced no effect —

I see I am mistaken contents shrink from X both ends — sometimes 2 collection of spheres near 2 ends connected with by filaments of same substance. as if Content become inspissated much opaker & darker coloured & collected into spheres & filaments

4°. 45' much more separation in the marked cells — contents as yet homogeneous. — & the change X is working up the footstalk of hairs no effect in these in water. —

In all spec. breaking up takes place near vase of gland, as of it absorbed. — No No Cinder

The 1' change in albumen is clearly separation of both ends of contents of cells — look like exosmose, but then take place over dry cinder in secretion — probably more rapid from inside of footstalk:— Excitement beng touch or nitrogenous fluid. —

8° 45'. the red much broken into these [sketch] chiefly, & small spheres. at spot where before quite uniform coloured. —

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Two leaves put into dense syrup were at 5° P.m at 9° 15' were quite flaccid from exosmose & the red was broken up into minute balls — so that this structure does result from transmission of fluid; & it may be this in albumen. —

[in margin:] The paper stained pink beautiful proof of excretion of fluid

Even the hairs in plain water, put in at rather before show signs of breaking up near glands. —( in 16°) (p 29 M.S)

I saw another spec. in which apparently more broken up on concave than convex side. — The increased excretion of fluid at end of glands, (though I mistook final cause) supports same view.

one of Hairs which had contracted over fly still in water 10° 45' I can clearly see that the aggregation of unequal sized spheres & ovals are all trembling, for each separate ball moving slightly. (very high dose)

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The movemnt did not seem as if due to current in cell which cause loose cells occasionally to move about quickly

22nd. 8° 30' — Spec in water all night— both those that had caught fly & the hairs that had not are in same state as last described. The segmentation has not proceeded in the water any more.

The spec. in albumen in upper part of each hair has undergone wonderful change, the ovals having broken up into a wonderful number of spheres. [sketch] —I could trace in water spec'.

The transition form [sketch] oval or cylinder into spheres...

spec. in sugar with hairs almost empty & red matter excessively broken up. —

Generally the oval breaks up into numerous minute spheres & their shrinking & separating from each other makes the sticks with knobs & necklaces &c — but sometime contract into one or two large spheres. — The movemnt is probably due to current within each cell


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

File last updated 4 February, 2023