COMPARED WITH THOSE Or ANIMALS. 75 



the insect is as effectually caught in this vegetable snare 

 as a rat in a steel trap. If it should escape the teeth of 

 the trap, which is seldom the case, its only chance of 

 liberty consists in lying perfectly still, when the leaf, freed 

 from all sources of irritation, would gradually unclose ; this, 

 of course, the insect never does, but continues struggling 

 for freedom till it is ultimately crushed to death by the 

 plant. Flies and other insects are often found dead on the 

 leaves, which have been killed in this way. 



The experiments of Mr. Knight on the Dioncea would 

 almost prove it to be a carnivorous vegetable. A detailed 

 account of them may be read in the article on botany, 

 "Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopaedia." The following is the 

 substance of what is there stated. Mr. Knight cultivated 

 specimens of the Dioncea in separate pots in a suitable 

 soil. From the leaves of some of them all the bristle were 

 removed, but the plants were otherwise uninjured, and 

 pieces of scraped beef were placed on their surfaces. The 

 other specimens were allowed to retain their bristly fringe 

 and irritable hairs on their leaves, and had as much light, 

 air, and water as their disarmed neighbors ; but all flies 

 were prevented from gaining access to them. The result 

 of the experiment showed the more flourishing condition of 

 the provisioned specimens ! 



The Hedysarum gyrans, or moving plant of British 

 India. A portion of the stem and leaf of this wonderful 

 plant is seen in our engraving. The leaves of this plant 

 are in constant motion by night and by day. We know 

 that there may be motion in animals without consciousness, 

 as, for instance, during deep sleep. The functions of ani- 

 mal life, which consist in sensation and locomotion, are 

 then totally suspended, and those of vegetable life are in full 

 activity. Circulation and respiration, by means of which 



