144 FREAKS OF PLANT LIFE. 



the remains of minute animals. It is a fair inference, 

 therefore, that these bladders, wherever found, arc 

 traps to catch unwary insects and minute animals ; 

 and as an examination of internal structure shows 

 the presence of similar curious processes to those of 

 the British species having the power of absorption, 

 it may be concluded that decaying animal matter in 

 the bladders is absorbed, and is one natural source 

 of sustenance to the plants. 



Very recently Dr. Maxwell Masters has made 

 known the result of some investigations on the 

 Christmas Rose {Helleboj-iis niger), a common garden 

 flower, in January, in which he thinks he has dis- 

 covered an indication, if not of persistent fly-catching, 

 at least of a capacity to assimilate animal food. His 

 remarks are certainly of interest in connexion with 

 the present subject. 



" The true petals, formerly called nectaries, of the 

 Hellebore are those peculiar green horns or tubes 

 met with in one or two rows surrounding the stamens, 

 and which secrete a honeyed juice. We suppose that 

 the main object of this secretion is to serve as an attrac- 

 tion to insects to visit the flowers, and so transfer the 

 pollen from one flower to another. We infer this 

 from the fact that the maturity of the anthers and 

 of the stigma is not simultaneous in the same flower, 

 and hence transfer of the pollen to another flower, 

 whose stigma is mature, is a necessity. 



