\Q J. M. Macfarlane. — Sarraceniaceae. 



and uncertain movements. At times, after a few unsteady and wavering steps, it drops 

 deeper into the pitcher; at times by special effort aided by wing action it may aseend 

 somewhat, but very often after repeated trials the animal is landed below on the 

 detentive surface, where the narrowness of the tube and the long hairs alike prevent 

 subsequent ascent. 



The varieties and numbers of insects caught, vary in different areas and under 

 different conditions. In one locality of New Jersey near Island Heights, the writer found 

 during one summer that S. purpurea mainly caught grey crickets, so that many of 

 the pitchers were filled in their lowest third with these. But Sarracenia, in most of 

 the Central and Southern States, also Darlingtonia as brought to me by Dr. Kr au tt er 

 from N. California, alike catch most varied prey. This probably represents the average 

 nectar-sipping insects that are common to each locality. Occasionally slugs, spiders and 

 the caterpillars of insects are caught. But the writer had a peculiar experience with a lot 

 of plants of S. flava, that he gathered round Wilmington N. C, and which were plante d 

 near a pond in the Botanic Garden of the University of Pennsylvania. In the succeeding 

 June and July an enormous number of moths was caught. These were tempted to 

 enter in part doubtless by the nectar, but probably more by the desire to find in the 

 pitchers a safe hiding-place during day. The long pitchers became filled to within 

 o — 8 cm of the mouth with the caught prey. These decayed amid the scant rain 

 water of the summer, and the strong ammoniacal products soon caused the pitchers 

 to rot, and most of the plants to decay. It is significant — though difficult of explanation 

 — that in the wild state such abundant captures do not seem to be made, though F. M. 

 Jones records the frequent capture of several moth species. In 1891 the writer wrote 

 (A. of B. VII. 413) "Sir J. Hooker suggests that it is probably ground game which 

 is led up to the pitchers, and while this may be true to some extent, in our green- 

 houses flying insects almost entirely are caught, and these consist in about \ 8 cases 

 out of 20 of bluebottle flies, with an occasional earwig, wasp or housefly. These alight 

 on some part of the tube, and gradually crawl up to the pitcher mouth, sipping the 

 honied juice as they go". In a foot-note to the above was subsequently added "since 

 writing the above I have had the opportunity of examining S. purpurea in the New Jersey 

 swamps, and find that ground-game, notably ants, are largely caught by the pitchers. 

 Flying insects and slugs are not uncommon, and though bulk for bulk they may yield 

 a considerable food supply for the plants, Hooker 's supposition appears correct for 

 this species. In one specimen examined a large nest of ants had been established in 

 three of the older and rather dry brown leaves, just beneath the reddish-green leaves 

 that were actively catching prey". From greatly more extended observations, the 

 writer's original conclusion is still retained, namely that winged insects are caught in 

 preponderatingly large measure. A correspondent of Mellichamp stated that S. psittacina 

 caught ants chiefly, and this with the above statements of the writer might suggest 

 that the decumbent species [S. psittacina and S. purpurea) chiefly catch small running 

 insects, while the upright species capture -winged prey. 



In view of the diverse and conflicting opinions at present held regarding the value 

 of plant colors for the attraction of insects, it is probably superfluous to discuss the 

 relation of these in the Sarraceniaceae to the prey that they catch. It is however 

 undoubtedly true that plants growing in bright sunshine and of a rieh color, are more 

 abundantly visited than are others that grow in shade and are green. As stated below 

 Edwards considers this to be true also for Darlingtonia. The average capacity for catch- 

 ing animal prey seems to vary considerably. At the top of the list should be placed 

 S. flava, S. Sledgei and S. Drummondii, next S. minor and S. purpurea, while S. psitta- 

 cina and S. rubra are relatively poor. The pitchers of Darlingtonia : — at times like those 

 of S. flava and S. Drummondii \ m high — often catch abundant prey. From study 

 of the plant in its native haunts Edwards found 43 species of insects in the tubes, 

 belonging to seven different groups, of which at least 20 were Diptera. He considered 

 that the green tubes captured fewer insects than those that were richly colored. 



