260 



CELL INTELLIGENCE THE CAUSE OF EVOLUTION 



bristles interlocking like the teeth of a trap. A few sen- 

 sitive hairs, like feelers, are developed on the leaf sur- 

 face ; and when one of these is touched by a small flying 

 or hovering insect, the trap snaps shut arrd the insect is 

 caught. Only after digestion, which is a slow process, 

 does the trap open again. Dionoea is popularly known as 

 the 'Venus fly-trap.' 



FIG. 38. Three leaves of Dioi 

 on an insect. After KERNER. 



.ea; two with the traps open, one with trap shut 



"Sarracenia, Drosera, and Dionoea are conspicuous 

 representatives of the so-called carnivorous or insectivor- 

 ous plants, all of which capture insects and use them for 

 food. They are green plants, so that they manufacture 

 carbohydrates ; but for some reason they supplement their 

 food manufacture with a supply of food already manufac- 

 tured, and obtained from the bodies of captured insects." 



