139 



sought by flics, and which intoxicates them, so that they 

 fall into the pit below. Once there, the stiff hairs of its 

 lining, which, as in the species before us, all point down- 

 wards, prevent all return. Dr. Gray had this summer 

 veritie<l this statement as to the existence of the attrac- 

 tive secretion. Now in the case of the Diona?a the fly, 

 after being caught, is soon covered ivilh a secretion from 

 the inside of the leaf, and finally absorbed, except the 

 tough and fibrous parts : then the leaf opens and may catch 

 another fly. Reasoning from this to the sundew, it may 

 be inferred that this also catches flies with intemtion, and 

 it may be suspected that either the juices of the fly are 

 absorbed through the sticky glands, or that the ammonia 

 etc., wiiich is given off in decomposition is absorbed, — 

 in either case attbrding food to the plant. And finally, if 

 pitcher-plants are contrivances for catching insects, as 

 they seem to be, Dr. Gray thought it most likely that the 

 water they contain, charged as it is with the products of 

 animal decomposition, is actually absorbed by the plant 

 as a liquid manure, to its benefit. 



S. B. BuTTRiCK, of Salem, presented the following list 

 of plants collected during the forenoon's excursion : — 



Nomopanthes Canadensis, . . . Mountain Holly. 



Verbena hastata, Vervain. 



Myrica Gale, Dutch Myrtle. 



Aspidium margiuale and others, Shield Fern. 



Rhexia Virginica, Deer Grass, or Meadow Beauty. 



Eriocaulon septangnlarc, .... Fipewort. 



Lycopodiuin lucidulum, 



Aralia hispida, Bristly Sarsaparilla. 



Gerardia niaritinia, Seaside Gerardia. 



Cornus Canadensis, Dwarf Cornel. 



Lycopodiuni dendroideuni, . . . Ground Pine. 



Spiraea tomentosa, Ilardhack ; Steeple Bush. 



Spiroeasalicifolia, Meadow Sweet. 



Monotropa uniflora, Indian pipe. 



