SENSIBILITY AND MIND. 81 



jaws. Directly beneath are red wattles that attract 

 flies, and above in a gaping cavity, like the fauces of 

 a serpent, is the nectar which allures insects, and the 

 slightest touch of the irritable semblance of a throat 

 provokes a twist in the neck of the pitcher and thereby 

 closes every avenue of escape, except into a fatal trap 

 below. The curious imitation of a snake in form and 

 cunning, as displayed in a beautiful plant, staggers 

 our powers of apprehension ; and challenges the in- 

 genious evolutionist to make the plan or purpose in- 

 telligible. It would seem as if the vegetable world 

 was playing fantastic pranks with the forces that gov- 

 ern the animal kingdom : or that vegetable sna^kes 

 foreshadowed the coming of deadly carnal creatures. 



Orchids or air plants, in tropical climates, present 

 for consideration some features that indicate both the 

 desire and the ability to imitate or mimic animal pe- 

 culiarities. A terrestrial orchid, of Panama, at its 

 top has a whorl of white flowers which take the shape 

 of a dove so completely, that the superstitious see in 

 it an embodiment of the Sacred Spirit. In the island 

 of Trinidad is found an serial orchid whose flower 

 closely resembles a butterfly on the wing ; and as it 

 floats lazily upon the breeze, the wariest observer 

 may be deceived by the skill displayed in the 

 simulation or mimicry. Other orchids imitate the 

 forms of the bee, the spider, and creatures whose 

 outlines may be shadowed upon the unfolding plants. 

 If the imitations be accidental, chance can be cun- 

 ningly fanciful ; and reason may be confounded by the 

 phantasies of the fortuitous. The oddities of shape 

 assumed by fantastic orchids warrant a dreamy belief 

 in all the fairy tales ever told. 



The sea is not outdone by the land in the exhibi- 



