NEPENTHES. 197 



stores them up unquestionably for the food 

 of itself or its progeny, probably depositing 

 its eg-oi in their carcases, as others of the 

 same tribe liv their eggs in various cater- 

 pillars, which they sometimes bury after- 

 wards in the ground. Thus a double pur- 

 pose is answered ; nor is it the least curious 

 circumstance of the whole, that an Europaean 

 insect should find out an American plant in a 

 hot-house, in order to falfd that purpose. 



If the above explanation of the Sarracenia 

 be admitted, that of the Neptnthes will not 

 be difficult. Each leaf of this plant terminates 

 in a sort of close-shut tube, like a tankard, 

 holding an ounce or two of water, certainly 

 secreted through the footstalk of the leaf, 

 whose spiral-coated vessels are uncommonly 

 large and numerous. The lid of this tube 

 either opens spontaneously, or is easily lifted 

 up by insects and small worms, who are sup- 

 posed to resort to these leaves in search of a 

 purer beverage than the surrounding swamps 

 afford. Rumphius, who has described and 

 figured the plant, says " various little worms' 

 and insects crawl inLo the orifice, and die 

 in the tube, except a certain small sqiiilla 



