'' TURNING THE TABLES.'' 275 



imported into this country for the sake of their 

 insectivorous habits. It is abundant in the lands of 

 the Malayan Archipelago. Dr. A. R. Wallace, in his 

 well-known work on that region, speaks as follows 

 of those he saw in Borneo : " The wonderful Pitcher- 

 plants, forming the genus Nepenthes of botanists, 

 here reach their greatest development. Every moun- 

 tain-top abounds with them, running along the 

 ground or climbing over shrubs, and stunted trees ; 

 their elegant pitchers hanging in every direction. 

 Some of these are long and slender, resembling in 

 form the beautiful Philippine Lace-sponge (^?//'/^^^'^//<7:), 

 which has now become so common ; others are 

 broad and short ; their colours are green, variously 

 tinted, and mottled with red or purple. The finest 

 yet known were obtained on the summit of Kini- 

 Balou, in north-west Borneo. One of the broad 

 sorts {Nepenthes rajaJt) will hold two quarts of water 

 in its pitcher. Another {Nepeiithes edivardsiand) has 

 a narrow pitcher 20 inches long, while the plant itself 

 grows to the length of 20 feet." 



According to Sir Joseph Hooker, no fewer than 

 thirty species of Nepenthes are known, chiefly from 

 this region and Ceylon, as well as Australia, etc. In 

 all cases the mouth of the Pitcher is furnished 

 with a thickened corrugated rim. This not only 

 strengthens the mouth and keeps it open, but it also 

 secretes a sweet liquid, after the manner of the 

 Sarracenias, and for the same purpose. Insects 



