518 AZALEA VISCOSA. 
petals as well as the tube of the corolla. These glandular hairs 
are efficacious fly-catchers, but what the object is in thus securing 
insect prey, I will not pretend to state. a 
I have been amusing myself, if any such apparently cruel — 
occupation can be considered entertaining, in watching the cap — 
ture of flies by the azaleas. When I first brought the flowers 
home, many small insects, as winged ants, were entrapped amidst 
the hairs. These have remained alive several days, still vainly : 
_ Struggling for freedom. As the houseflies are abundant in my ; 
room, it occurred to me that I might extirpate the pests, and at 1 
the same time learn something of the process of insect-catching. i 
I have not noticed that the powerful fragrance of tbe blossoms 7 
attracts the housefly, although I have no doubt that it does - 
smaller insects. It seemed to be accidental when the houseflies : 
were captured. I exposed a number of buds and fully opened i 
blossoms on a sunny window-sill thronged with flies. It was not i 
many minutes before I had several captures. A mere touch of r 
fly’s leg to the glutinous hairs was sufficient for his detention. 4 : 
struggle only made matters worse, as other legs were by : 
means brought. in’ contact with the glands. These emit lo 
glairy threads which fasten to the hairs of the flies’ legs. Th a 
may be drawn. out to a great length and tenuity, still retainmg 
their strength. If two buds are pressed together and then a 
drawn apart, innumerable threads may be seen to bind et 
There is a complete network of them between the various ee 
They will confine the strongest fly ; he is at once held like Gu : 
ver among the Liliputians. Under the microscope, the ee a 
the fly are seen to be covered with the secretion, which i at : 
fectly white and transparent. In one attempt to escape, 4 pee 
fly lifted a flower bodily from the window-sill, perhaps se 
an inch, but at once sank back exhausted amidst the hairs. T 
after long efforts, escaped, but seemed incapable of using its legs 
it flew away readily. In one instance, I have found the © 
remains of a small insect embedded amidst the hairs, but t ; 
say whether its juices were in any way absorbed by the gr: 
such assimilation takes place, what is its purpose? Can tusi 
nomenon of fly-catching be in any case accidental, OY ee 
nice purpose concealed in it? I merely state the facts Be 
observed them; perhaps others can supply farther informa 2 
