ET. 63.] TO W. M..CANBY. 649 
Boranic GARDEN, July 8, 1874. 
Dear Cansy, — Yours of Tth instant received. I 
thought you had live Darlingtonia. Of ours the old 
plant has died after starting three new offsets. But 
the growing leaves are small. If it goes on I may 
do something. Thus far I have detected no water in 
the tubes, nor any sticky secretion. But I shall slit 
one soon. Make notes for Hartford. 
You have not guessed the conundrum, though you 
have made a step in distinguishing the two different 
movements. Ill tell you. It is to strain out the small 
flies. Do you take? Or want details? I send you 
Darwin’s late letters, — one came this evening. We 
have lost all those Pinguiculas. 
Can we get any from Wilmington now? Are there 
any near Dr. Mellichamp? You may forward Dar- 
win’s last letter to him and set him to observing, — 
collecting and preserving leaves with insects stuck 
fast, and margin turned over. See if ours turn over 
the edge ! 
How does D. find out they digest ? 
July 14. 
When Dionzea is irritated by a small fly, he has 
plenty of time to escape through the meshes, and the 
leaf soon opens, ready for better luck next time. 
Think what a waste if the leaf had to go through all 
the process of secretion, etc., taking so much time, 
all for a little gnat. It would not pay. Yet it would 
have to do it except for this arrangement to let the 
little flies escape. But when a bigger one is caught 
he is sure for a good dinner. 
That is real Darwin. I just wonder you and | 
never thought of it. But Ae did. 
