302 GLIMPSES INTO PLANT-LIFE 



flow kills the insect by stopping up its breathing 

 pores, so that literally it dies of suffocation. The 

 fluid not only increases in quantity, but becomes 

 acid, and its effect is to dissolve the insect and 

 render it soluble ; the dissolved parts are then 

 absorbed by the glands and digested. This 

 interesting process can be watched quite easily 

 by carefully taking up a few plants of sundew 

 with some of the bog-soil and moss in which they 

 were growing and placing them in a glass dish, 

 where the}' will continue for months in perfect 

 health if kept very wet and covered vyith a bell 

 glass. 



I once lighted on some magnificent sundew 

 growing on boggy land near Woolmer Forest. 

 Whilst taking up some roots of it I was per- 

 sistently attacked b)' a stinging fly, and, m\' hands 

 being occupied, I could not well defend myself 

 Happily the sundew acted a friendly part ! I was 

 carrying a tuft of it in my hand when, looking 

 down, I saw my tormenting fly was securely caught 

 upon its leaves. Somehow one always feels ct)m- 

 passion for the unfortunate, and I confess I tried 

 to rescue the captive, but the creature's wings and 



