32 HOW PLANTS i;SE ANIMALS. 



griidually dissolved and disappeared with the secretion." The 

 amount of secretion varied with the weather, being most copious 

 in fine dry days — the time when insects are most abundant in 

 the surrounding air. The number captured and consumed by 

 these plants in every land must be very great. 



3. The genus Polypompholax embraces four species, all con- 

 fined to Western Australia. They beai- a strong resemblance to 

 Utricularia, and capture their prey in small bladders of some- 

 what similar construction. 



4. The last genus demanding notice (Genlisea) inhabits 

 marshy grounds in mnny countries, but does not occur in North 

 America. Eleven species have been described. They are re- 

 presented as remarkable plants, furnished with utricles of such 

 peculiar structure that no intelligible description of them can be 

 given without illustrations. 



Some interesting questions might be asked respecting the 

 origin of those carnivorous plants. \A'hat peculiarities of en- 

 vironment on dry land, or in marshes, bogs or pools, tended to 

 develop these numerous contrivances for alluring and captivating 

 prey? How did the plants acquire a taste for animal food con- 

 trary to the ordinary laws of nature? Were they driven by 

 hunger to develope alluring streets, and traps, and pitfalls, and 

 stomach-like sacs, with digestive and absorbing apparatus, to 

 seize upon unwary visitors and consume them for food ? It is 

 very true that many, perhaps all, of them grow in })ositions 

 where nitrogenous food cannot be secured by the roots; and thiit 

 the roots are very small nnd few, fitted only for the absorption of 

 water. But this does not explain the production of the pitchers 

 of Sarracenia — or the swift closing traps ot Dionaea — or the 

 long, sensitive, secreting glands of Drosera — or the infolding 

 leaves of Pinguicula — or the stomach-like bladders of THricularia 

 — or the numerous other adaptations for luring animals to their 

 death and consuming them for food. 



