'Perceptive Tower of Vegetahles. 135 



the probability of finding one, by the diverfity 

 of their courfe : For if the auxiliary branch be 

 dead, the other uniformly winds itfelf round, 

 from the right to the left.* 



Thefe examples, of the inftindive oeconomy 

 of vegetables, have been purpofely taken from 

 fubjeds, familiar to our daily obfervation. But 

 the plants of warmer climates, were we fuffici- 

 ently acquainted with them, would probably 

 furnifh better illuftrations of this acknowledged 

 power of animality: And I fhall briefly recite 

 the hiftory of a very curious exotic, which has 

 been delivered to us from good authority ; and 

 confirmed by the obfervations of feveral Euro- 

 pean botanifts. 



The Dionsa Mufcipula is a native of North 

 Carolina. Its leaves are numerous, inclining 

 to bend downwards, and placed in a circular 

 order: they are jointed, and fucculent: The 

 upper joint confifts of two lobes, each of which 

 is femi-oval in its form, with a margin furnilhed 

 with ftiff hairs J which embrace each other, 

 when they clcfe from any irritation. The fur- 

 faces of thefe lobes are covered with fmall red 

 glands, wi^.ich probably fecrete fome fweet li- 

 quor, tempting to the tafle, but fatal to the lives 

 of infeds: For, the m.omcnt the poor animal 

 alights upon thefe parts, the two lobes rife up, 



* Lord Kaims's Gentleman Farmer. 



K 4 grafp 



