THE PITCHER PLANT. 79 



of time quite pure and sweet. This, Nature provides 

 for the use of the plant. It grows on the dry stump 

 of a withered tree, and from the sapless wood it could 

 derive no nourishment ; and thus a new mode of sup- 

 plying it with moisture is found. Nor is this all ; 

 the plant generally grows on trees on the tops of 

 mountains, where there are neither streams nor 

 springs, and in hot weather it frequently yields the 

 traveller a cool and refreshing draught, when no other 

 water can be found near it. 

 There are also some 

 plants which spring up in 

 dry and sunburnt soils, 

 whose herbage is of so 

 juicy a nature, as to serve 

 the same purpose as water 

 in quenching the thirst. 

 But perhaps the most re- 

 markable plant yet known, 

 which possesses the faculty Pitcher Plant - 



of secreting pure water, is the Pitcher Plant. From 

 the end of each leaf hangs a large vessel in the shape 

 of a pitcher, and capable of holding nearly a pint 

 of water; each pitcher has a lid fitting closely to 

 the top, and opening wide upon its hinges in damp 

 weather, and again closing when it is dry, to prevent 

 evaporation. But how, it may be asked, is this deli- 

 cately suspended vessel supported when so full ? Na- 

 ture here supplies an adequate provision ; behind the 

 lid is placed a little hook, which, with marvellous 

 sagacity, catches hold upon some neighboring twig 



