WHITE 



tion, by means of which insects visiting the plant are first capt- 

 ured ; the reddish bristles then close tightly about them, and it 

 is supposed that their juices are absorbed by the plant. At all 

 events the rash visitor rarely escapes. In many localities it is 

 easy to secure any number of these little plants and to try for 

 one's self the rather grewsome experiment of feeding them with 

 small insects. Should the tender-hearted recoil from such reck- 

 less slaughter, they might confine their offerings on the altar of 

 science to mosquitoes, small spiders, and other deservedly un- 

 popular creatures. 



D. Americatia is a very similar species, with longer, narrower 

 leaves. 



The thread-leaved sundew, D. filiformis, has fine, thread-like 



leaves and pink flowers, and is found in wet sand along the 



coast. 



" A little marsh-plant, yellow green, 

 And pricked at lip with tender red. 

 Tread close, and either way you tread 

 Some faint black water jets between 

 Lest you should bruise the curious head. 



You call it sundew : how it grows. 

 If with its color it have breath, 

 If life taste sweet to it, if death 

 Pain its soft petal, no man knows : 

 Man has no sight or sense that saith." 



— Swinburne. 



POKEWEED. GARGET. PIGEON-BERRY. 



Phytolacca decandra. Pokeweed P^amily. 



Stems. — At length from six to ten feet high ; purple-pink or bright red ; 

 stout. Leaves. — Large; alternate; veiny. Flo-cers. — White or pinkish; 

 the green ovaries conspicuous ; growing in racemes. Calyx. — Of five 

 rounded or petal-like sepals, pinkish without. Corolla. — None. Stamens. — 

 Ten. Pistil. — One, with ten styles. Fruit. — A dark purplish berry. 



There is a vigor about this native plant which is very pleas- 

 ing. In July it is possible that we barely notice the white flow- 



78 



