588 Carnivorous Plants. [ October, 
the distribution of the rain from year to year is very capricious, 
but where, none the less, the forests are well maintained. Mr. 
Schott’s investigations give us no authority for saying that the. 
prairie region is more liable to droughts than the region of forest 
immediately adjacent to it. 
That an excess of moisture is in géneral prejudicial to tree- 
growth must of necessity be admitted. This fact seems to form 
the basis of the views of Mr. Lesquereux in regard to the origin 
of prairies. And to a considerable extent there is a harmony of 
opinion between us; indeed, the writer finds that this gentle- 
man is the only one of those who have written on the prairies 
who has carefully observed the leading facts. Before, however, 
noticing his views, it will be well that the author of this article 
should state exactly to what results his own observations have 
led him, and what seems to him the all-important consideration 
influencing the character of the vegetation in the prairie regions 
(To be concluded in the next pumber. 
CARNIVOROUS PLANTS. 
BY PROF. W. J. BEAL. 
PBIS is a new term which has lately been applied to plants 
that catch insects by various contrivances. 
In 1768, over one hundred years ago, Mr. Ellis discovered that 
the Venus fly-trap, of North Carolina, catches insects by a pecul- 
iar construction of the tips of its leaves, like a steel-trap. Nu- 
merous experiments have satisfied botanists that flies are not only 
caught, but digested by a fluid poured out by the plant, and the 
materials absorbed into the tissues of the plant. In 1780, nme- 
ty-five years ago, the sun-dew (Drosera) was found to catch 
insects by its sensitive hairs with a sticky gland at the end of 
each. 
Drosera rotundifolia, a common little plant of our marshes, has 
a round leaf, about the size of a cent, sometimes containmg 
1 See page 158 of Mr. Schott’s paper. He says, “ The observed succession of p 
nual amounts of rain-fall on the Atlantic coast from Maine to Virginia, and in 
about 1836, as well as the less conspicuous or relative one of 1855, are common 
E se [Type I., State of New York, and Type IV., region of Uppe" MississipP 
owaļ.’ 
i 
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