110 



HUTCHINSON'S POPULAR BOTANY 



small aquatic animals, incautiously entering the little door, like the fly in 

 the nursery poem, " ne'er come out again." 



" The entrance into the bladder has the appearance of a tunnel net, always 

 open at the large end but closed at the other extremity. The little animals 

 seemed to be attracted into this inviting retreat. They would sometimes 

 dally about the open entrance for a short time, but would sooner or later 

 venture in, and easily open or push apart the closed entrance at the other 

 extremity. As soon as the animal was fairly in, the forced entrance closed, 

 making it a secure prisoner. I was very much amused in watching a 



Water-bear (Tardigrada) entrapped. 



\ It went slowly walking round the 



\ bladder, as if reconnoitring, very much 



\ like its larger namesake ; finally it 



1 ventured in at the entrance, and easily 



I' 'J , x_^ opened the inner door and walked in. 



The bladder was transparent and quite 

 empty, so that I could see the move- 

 ments of the little animal very dis- 

 tinctly, and it seemed to look around 

 as if surprised to find itself in so ele- 

 gant a chamber ; but it was soon quiet, 

 and on the morning following it was 

 entirely motionless, with its little feet 

 and claws standing out as if stiff and 

 rigid. The wicked plant had killed it 

 very much quicker than it kills the 

 snake-like larva. Entomoskraca, too, 

 were often captured Daphnia, Cyclops, 

 and Cypris. These little animals are 

 just visible to the naked eye, but under 

 the microscope are beautiful and inter- 

 esting objects. The lively little Cypris 

 is encased -in a bivalve shell, which 

 it opens at pleasure, and thrusts out 

 its feet and two pairs of antennae, with 

 tufts of feather-like filaments. This little animal was quite wary, but 

 nevertheless was often caught. Coming to the entrance of a bladder, it 

 would sometimes pause a moment and then dash away; at other times 

 it would come close up, and even venture part of the way into the 

 entrance, and back out as if afraid. Another, more heedless, would open 

 the door and walk in, but it was no sooner in than it manifested alarm, drew 

 in its feet and antennae, and closed its shell. But after its death the shell 

 unclosed again, displaying its feet and antennae. I never saw even the smallest 

 animalcule escape after it was once fairly inside the bladder" (Mrs. Treat). 



FIG. 144. PITCHER OF Nepenthes tnixta. 



Note the corrugated rim, and the long spines down 

 the front of the pitcher. 



