120 TALKS AFIELD. 



eastern States, while southward there are 

 other and more peculiar species. The leaves 

 of these odd plants are transformed into 

 long tight trumpets or pitchers, which al- 

 ways contain water. Berry-pickers who fre- 

 quent swamps for whortleberries and cran- 

 berries often know them as " Indian dip- 

 pers," and they use them as cups to dip 

 water from the creek. A single large and 

 very curious purple flower nods from a long 

 stem in spring and from its fancied resem- 

 blance to a side-saddle has originated one of 

 the popular names of the plant. If the con- 

 tents of a pitcher be examined the fluid will 

 be found to contain quantities of dead and 

 decaying insects which have fallen into it. 

 A study of the pitchers will soon convince 

 us that the presence of the insects is not 

 purely accidental. They are attracted to 

 the open pitcher, light upon its rim, and 

 venturing too far they fall into or slide 

 down the cavity, and they are prevented 

 from making an escape by the stiff and 

 sharp hairs which point downwards like so 

 many bayonets. When they have fallen 

 into the liquid, which is not entirely w^ater, 

 they are soon drowned, and the plant feeds, 

 in a saprophytic manner, upon their re- 

 mains. 



