DION^A MUSCIPULA; 



OR, 



VENUS'S FLY-TRAP. 



XHE Sacracenia is said, by Bartram, in his Travels into North America, to contain a 

 quantity of pure Umpid water; and to open its lid when this reservoir is nearly empty, and close 

 it when full. He mentions, also, his having tasted this water, and it was clear, limpid, and 

 refreshing as the morning dew. Examining into the interior of these pitcher-like leaves, he 

 found them beset with short stiff hairs, which all pointed downwards, and (very like our mouse- 

 traps) allow a passage for entrance, but all return is denied, and hence the Sacracenia has the 

 property of destroying insects. But in this it is far surpassed by another hog-plant, introduced 

 among us in 1765, called, for this very circumstance, Muscipula, the fly -catcher) and Dion^a, 

 a name for Venus, on account of its beautiful white flowers, which rise in a general umhel, from a 

 long scape, each flower being terminal, consisting of five milk-white petals, ten stamina, and one 

 pistillum, somewhat resembling the Geranium. Its radical leaves, which are in circular order, 

 are of a most extraordinary construction, having the peduncles winged,* and exactly similar in 

 shape and contrivance to our rat-trap, with spikes in the center, and teeth around, also baited 

 from glands which distil honey. No sooner does a deluded insect touch this honey, than the 

 trap instantly closes, and with such swiftness, as never to miss its prey, and with such a spring 

 as to defy all exertions for escape, and only opens when the insect is dead^ when it expands 



again for fresh murders ! 



Haste, glittering Insect, tenant of the air, 



Oh steer from hence, your rapid course afar! 



With tend'rest words, sweet becks, and nods, and smiles. 



Should DiON^A lure you to her toils. 



Caught by her art in vain you try your pow'r, 



A certain death awaits you at that hour; 



On you will Rivals point the furious dart. 



And plunge th' envenom d weapon in your heart! 



* We are inclined to this opinion, from observing the structure of the leaves of the Drosera Rotundifolia {Round-leaved Sundew), 



a native of our climate, which has also irritable round leaves, but on long plain peduncles or footstalks, w^hose traps are also toothed, and on 



each tooth day and night hangs a clammy globule, which looks like dew, hence its English appellation. It has Five Stamina and Five 



PisTiLLA. The Poet thus celebrates it. 



Queen of the Marsh, imperial Drosera treads 



Rush-fringed banks, and moss embroider'd beds; 



Redundant folds of glossy silk surround 



Her slender w^aist, and trail upon the ground; 



Five sister-nymphs collect with graceful ease. 



Or spread the floating purple to the breeze; 



Kr\6.Jive fair youths with duteous love comply 



With each soft mandate of her moving eye. 



As with sweet grace her snowy neck she bows, 



A zone of diamonds trembles round her brows; 



Bright shines the silver halo, as she turns; 



And, as she steps, the living lustre burns. 



Darwin. 



//r 



