MISCELLANEOUS VEGETABLE PHENOMEi^A. 7o 



CHAPTER IX. 

 Miscellaneous Vegetable Phenomena. 



192. You would, perliaps, if asked what constitutes the 

 difference between yegetables and animals, say boldly that 

 they differ every way, that there is no resemblance ; but 

 you would commit a grave error by such a declaration, for 

 in some particulars there are points of great resemblance, 

 which resemblances increase to such a degree as you de- 

 scend the scale of vegetable and animal existence, that at 

 last you arrive at a point where the greatest wisdom and 

 discrimination is necessary to say correctly to which or- 

 ganism the thing under examination belongs, vegetable or 

 animal. 



193. But higher up in the scale of complete vegetable 

 development we also see these wonderful analogies. Thus 

 we say in general that j^lants have no stomach, and yet 

 that wonderful flower, the catchfly (Dioncea muscipula), not 

 only catches flies, but digests them, as it will bits of meat. 

 In fact, animal food is necessary for its nourishment. This 

 is proved by placing a net over it so as to shut off its insect 

 dinner. The poor, starved plant will soon sicken and die. 

 We again say that plants are fixed and have not the power 

 of motion, but the duck-meat and the fresh-water sailor 

 rise from the muddy soil below to float upon the surface, 

 and again sink when their health or comfort require the 

 change. 



194. The mimosa is very sensitive, shrinking from the 

 slightest touch. Darwin, in his beautiful yet absurd poem 



192. Is there any resemblance between vegetable and animal life ? How as 

 you descend the scale ? 



193. What can you say respecting the phenomena of the catchfly? Are there 

 plants endowed with powers of locomotion ? 



194. What of the mimosa ? Repeat Darwin's lines. 



