2 NATURE STUDY. 



the Avioj-phophalliis rivicri is well worth a place in the 

 garden for the size of its flower as well as the beauty of its 

 foliage. The specimen shown in the frontispiece sent up its 

 one leaf in the summer of 1902, on a petiole two inches in 

 diameter at the base and about two feet high. At the 

 summit the petiole divided, as usual, into three branches 

 and then subdivided again and again, with leaflets so nu- 

 merous as to completel}^ shade the ground. The entire 

 leaf spread over a circle four feet in diameter. 



Late in the winter the bud at the summit of the corm, 

 which was nearh' eight inches in diameter, began to grow 

 rapidly. In a month it showed that a blossom and not a 

 leaf was in prospect. When fully grown and open, it 

 looked as represented in the illustration. It lacked but 

 half an inch of being four feet from the top of the corm to 

 the summit of the dark purple spadix. THe spathe, rich 

 purple in color, spread out nine inches in width and was 

 nearly eighteen inches in length. The mottled stem, sim- 

 ilar to that of the leaf, justifies the common names of snake 

 palm and snake lily. The odor of the blossom, which re- 

 sembles that of deca3'ed meat, is useful in its native coun- 

 try to attract flies, which reciprocate by fertilizing the pis- 

 tillate flowers. 



The Ant's Toilet. 



A naturalist has been making observations on the toilet of cer- 

 tain ants, and has discovered each insect goes through most elabo- 

 rate ablutions. They are not only performed by herself, but by 

 another, who acts for the time as lady's maid. The assistant starts 

 by washing the face of her companion, and then goes over the 

 whole body. The attitude of the ant that is being washed is one 

 of intense satisfaction. She lies down with all her limbs stretched 

 loosely out ; she rolls over on her side, even on her back, a per- 

 fect picture of ease. — Pittsburg Dispatch. 



