ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 165 
insects, and especially ants, to the more dangerous feeding ground above, 
where once losing foothold, it is impossible to regain it. Even flies escape 
but rarely, the form of the tube and lid seeming to obstruct their flight. As 
the result, the tube becomes filled to the depth of some inches with a mass of 
decaying ants, flies, hornets and other insects. 
Within this there is always found a white grub feeding upon the material 
thus gathered, perhaps the larva of a large fly which has been observed to 
stand upon the edge of the tube, and drop an egg into it. Soon after the 
full development of the leaf, the upper portion becomes brown and shrivelled, 
which is due to still another larva, the young of a small moth, which feeds 
upon the substance of the leaf, leaving only the outer epidermis, and works 
its way from above downward, until in due time it spins its cocoon, suspending 
it by silken threads just above the surface of the insect debris at the bottom. 
The whole forms a series of relationship, and an instance of contrivance and 
design, the full purport of which is by no means fully understood.’’ It will 
thus be seen that the same general habit obtains through the whole family of 
Sarraceniacee, though in details there are to be found differences in some 
striking particulars. In the first place, it is more than probable that the liquid 
secreted in the base of the tubes of Sarracenia is pure water, deposited from 
the atmosphere,* but the shape of the hood in Darlingtonia, which totally 
covers the opening of the tube, suggests some other cause for the presence of 
moisture at its bottom. This liquid, which is Sarracenia, is said by Dr. 
Mellichamp tc be inodorous, is in our California plant most disgusting in its 
smell, and after handling a number of specimens of the tubes, it is necessary 
to use some disinfectant like ammonia or chloride to remove the disagreeable 
ordor. The larva found among the debris of Sarracenia, though belonging 
undoubtedly to the dipterous order, is nevertheless of a totally different genus 
from that found in Darlingtonia, as the latter are very minute, almost micro- 
scopic in size, though it is possible that more than one species may yet be 
discovered. I should also state that I found no ants whatever in the tubes of 
Californica, though subsequent observations may yet add to our knowledge 
the fact of their presence among the victims. Nor car I find ary trace of a 
lepidopterous larva, like that noted by Dr. Mellichamp, which was probably 
the early stage of some species of Tortrix. Careful and continued observation 
will, however, doubtless bring to light many new facts connected with the 
economy of this singular plant. The stems of Darlingtonia are generally 
marked with some ferruginous blotches, which are due to the presence of a 
small fungus, which has been examined by our fellow-member, Dr. Harkness, 
and by him pronounced to be a new species of -Trichobasis. Dr. Harkness, 
while intending to publish the results of his observations, permits me to add 
that he proposes to name the species Trichobasis Darlingtonie. The Indians 
of the district around Mount Shasta are well acquainted with the fly-catching 
habit of Darlingtonia, but I regret to say that I could not discover their native 
name of the plant, nor could I learn that they ascribe to it any medicinal proper- 
* NoTE—I have since been assured by Dr. Mellichamp that the liquid is by no means 
pure water, but an excretion of the plant itself. H. E. 
