certain vegcialle Muscicupce. 1 1 5 



Asclepias syriaca, Asclepias curassavica, Ner'mm Oleander, 

 and many others, whose fli)>vers entrap insects or the parts 

 of insects. For, in these plants, the whole quantity of ani- 

 iral matter applied to and retained by the plants, in their 

 most vigorous state, is a mere atom in comparison of the 

 volume ot living vegetable matter to be nourished. More- 

 ever, the animal matter is applied only to the flowers, which 

 no one iinairines to be essentially concerned in nourishing 

 the plant ; to the temporary organs, and not to those 

 which mav be called permanent, the leaves or ascidia. 



In making these observations, I have not an eye to the 

 theories or speculations of anv particular author. 1 must 

 confess, however, that 1 once iniafjined that Dioncea Mus- 

 ciptila itself does receive a part of its nouri?hment from the 

 insects which it entraps. And Mr. Roth, if I do not mis- 

 take, has endeavoured to show that the species oi' Droserce, 

 so common in the bogs of Europe, &c. are, in some mea- 

 sure, indebted for then- growth and nourishment to the in- 

 sects which they entangle and retain. I have not seen the 

 arguments by which the respectable botanist just men- 

 tioned supports his hypothesis. 



I must not take my leave of the Sarracenice without ob- 

 serv.nc, tliat the ascidia of some (perhaps all) of the species 

 of the genus furnish us with still another beautiful example 

 of what the ingenious author of " The Studies of Nature" 

 would call the " harmonies" of the veseiable and animal 

 kingdoms. For, omitting, at present, all further speculations 

 about the intention of Nature in giving to the species of 

 this genus asciriial leaves, and a capacity of entrapping 

 great nunibers of insects, it is a fact, that these leaves be- 

 come repositories of the food of various species of birds. 

 It is not uncommon, in the native soils of someofthe species 

 of Sarracenia, to see great numbers of birds, especially some 

 Muscicapce, or Flycatchers, and other Passeres, assembling 

 about these plants, and, by means of their bills, slitting the 

 ascidia in order to get at their favourite food*. This well 

 * , ascertained 



• Linnzsus tells u? that tlie hollow \e?Lioi Sarracenia purpurea is a reservoir 

 of water for thirsty little birds, " Folium S. purpurex in Spec. PI. descrip- 

 tum, aquatii prxbet siticntibus aviciilis." Piu:Uclioiies in OriHiies Nnturala 

 /■/flji/arz/m, Edit. (Jiseke, p. :i)f>. H;imburtri 1792. This is doubtless a mis- 

 ■fake. The birds supposed lo be sippinj;; water from the aseidium oi Sarra- 

 tfiiia were, I suppose, engaged in the vcrv diflercnt business of eatino^ the 

 iiii>ect8 which the reservoir contained. None but a bird v.ith a very long 

 bill would be able to take the water from the tube, h it likely, moreover, 

 tli.it any biid should be driven to the necessity of sati.sfying- its thir»t from 

 the reicrvoir of a plant which always grow." in wet places, and freijuently 

 in waters of a foot or more in depth ? for Sarracenta purpurea is sometimes 

 »ccn growing in our cypress swamps, its tools, like those of a Lenn^ or an 

 K2 Uldcu- 



