450 GENLISEA ORNATA. CHAP. XVI II 



could be recognised. It is, indeed, scarcely possible 

 that any object could enter the small orifice and pass 

 down the long narrow neck, except a living creature. 

 Within the necks, however, of some specimens, a worm 

 with retracted horny jaws, the abdomen of some 

 articulate animal, and specks of dirt, probably the 

 remnants of other minute creatures, were found. 

 Many of the papillae within both the utricles and 

 necks were discoloured, as if they had absorbed matter. 

 From this description it is sufficiently obvious how 

 Genlisea secures its prey. Small animals entering 

 the narrow orifice but what induces them to enter is 

 not known any more than in the case of Utricularia 

 would find their egress rendered difficult by the sharp 

 incurved hairs on the lips, and as soon as they passed 

 some way down the neck, it would be scarcely possible 

 for them to return, owing to the many transverse rows 

 of long, straight, downward pointing hairs, together 

 with the ridges from which these project. Such crea- 

 tures would, therefore, perish either within the neck 

 or utricle ; and the quadrifid and bifid papillae would 

 absorb matter from their decayed remains. The 

 transverse rows of hairs are so numerous that they 

 seem superfluous merely for the sake of preventing 

 the escape of prey, and as they are thin and delicate, 

 they probably serve as additional absorbents, in the 

 same manner as the flexible bristles on the infolded 

 margins of the leaves of Aldrovanda. The spiral arms 

 no doubt act as accessory traps. Until fresh leaves 

 are examined, it cannot be told whether the line of 

 junction of the spirally wound lamina is a little open 

 along its whole course, or only in parts, but a small 

 creature which forced its way into the tube at any 

 point, would be prevented from escaping by the 

 incurved hairs, and would find an open path down 



