59 



spiders, etc. They are wary now, and they have to be 

 for they are regarded as delicacies by man, beast, bird and 

 fish. With the chances about one hundred to one in favor 

 of their dying a violent death, it would not seem that life 

 held very rosy prospects for frogs but a visit to the 

 marsh or pond when the frog chorus is practising, and it 

 usually is, would convince anyone that these batrachians 

 think life worth the living. 



PITCHER PLANT. 



Bogs and swamps furnish excellent hunting grounds for 

 the naturalist. Rare birds, little-known insects, exquisite 

 orchids, beautiful butterflies, that can be found nowhere 

 else, may be located in such little frequented places. 



The Pitcher Plant is one of these swamp flowers that 

 comparatively few ever see growing in its haunts because 

 it usually is necessary that rubber boots be worn in orde/ 

 to reach them. The shape of the leaves and form of 

 flowers is shown in the colored picture. The leaves, which 

 number from four to a dozen or more, all radiate from the 

 center, forming a rosette that may be as much as two feet 

 in diameter. 



The young leaves are a very light green, the older ones 

 are dark green and leaves of the preceding year are more 

 or less of a reddish-brown hue. The openings of these 

 leaves all turn upwards and the interiors are usually filled 

 about half of water, some of which comes from rains and 

 some probably being sucked from the soil below. 



The handsome nodding blossoms attract our attention 

 during ^lay and June but the pitcher-shaped leaves are 

 interesting all the year. Examine one closely and you will 

 find that the interior near the opening is covered with tiny 

 hairs pointing downwards. Insects are often attracted to 

 these leaves perhaps for a drink from its cup, perhaps as 

 a place of concealment or more likely by the slightly 

 sticky sweet substance found just below the rim, within. 

 The plant is very inhospitable for many insects, having 



