INSECTI VOROUS PLANTS. 



3*3 



It was not until the summer of 1881 that I had access to a good 

 microscope, since which time I have spent many hours in trying to 

 penetrate this mystery. In this I have been greatly assisted by ray 

 friend Dr. J. II. W. Meyer, who was at first very skeptical in regard 

 to my confident assertions that here was a new insectivorous plant, but 

 who grew more and more interested, and finally became an enthusi- 

 astic convert. 



Upon our first examination, we found that the hairs tentacles we 

 have learned to call them varied in length, were somewhat thickened 

 at the base, usually three-celled, the last cell being expanded into a 

 spherical shape. Small protuberances were often found upon the sides 

 of the hairs (Fig. 1), but more commonly upon the bulbous tip. Some- 

 times these cells seemed to me to have a decidedly spiral form, but of 

 this I could never be quite sure. The tentacles were extremely flexi- 

 ble, sometimes turning sharply backward, as in Fig. 2. 



I have made many observations, with a hand-magnifier, upon the 

 plants in the garden. I found the freshly-captured insects most plen- 



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Fig. 2. 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. 5. 



tiful about nightfall, at which time the petunia-blossoms emit a pow- 

 erful odor, and the clamminess of the leaves and stems is most notice- 

 able. I have seen insects as large as the common red ant struggle and 

 die, and have found the horny wings of small Coleoptera, but most fre- 

 quently I have found small spiders, gnats, etc. 



When an insect alights upon a leaf (I say leaf, although the hairs 

 upon the stems, calyxes, and even the outer and lower poi-tions of 

 the flower-tubes are quite as vigorous, and as often successful), it at 

 first manifests much alarm, runs with as much strength as possible up 

 and down and under the leaf, lifting its feet with more and more of 

 an effort, until at last, either benumbed or exhausted, its motions are 

 almost imperceptible, and sometimes for an hour will occur at such 

 long intervals that one decides half a dozen times that death must 

 already have taken place. On one occasion, a branch bearing a lively 



