78 WITH GUN AND GUIDE 



to have a good laugh at his discomfiture when the 

 alarm was given. Where is the man, if he had the 

 chance under similar circumstances, that wouldn't have 

 done the same thing that is, if he had had as much 

 humor in him as the crow had ? 



" My long life in the wilderness and in the woods as 

 a trapper has convinced me firmly that not only have 

 the animals intelligence, but plants and flowers also 

 have intelligence. 



" Did you ever examine the pitcher plant carefully ? 

 You did ? Well, you must know that it is a living and 

 intelligent trap for spiders, ants, flies, mosquitoes, etc. ; 

 that it first catches them and then drowns them, and, 

 lastly, devours and digests them. 



u On the hottest summer day and in the greatest 

 droughts you'll always find the cups of these plants 

 half filled with clear cold water cold, mind you and 

 how they can keep the water cold I know not. The 

 various insects enter the cup or trap evidently to drink 

 of the water, and when they try to get out they find 

 that the inside surface of the cup is lined with a coat- 

 ing of little spines or spikes with their short points 

 reaching downward. 



" And so to crawl up the sides of the plant being im- 

 possible, after struggling with might and main until 

 their strength is exhausted, they drop into the water 

 and are speedily dissected, the meaty portions being 

 devoured, while the wings and antennas are by some un- 



