284 Pitcher Plants. (March, } 
This peculiar arrangement of a set of hairs at the apex of the 
leaf, ofa smooth portion near the middle, and another set of hairs 
near the base, obviously serves some use in the economy of the 
plant. When the young leaves first open, there is no water found 
in them, but'as they are so open and, exposed to all rains and 
storms, they readily become partially filled with water. Now 
this soon becomes a mass of decayed animal matter. Insects fy, 
or fall into the tube, and once in, there is no egress. The fringe | 
of hairs at the base hinders their walking, and even if this be sur 
mounted, and the smooth stretch passed, the hairson the hood, a , 
veritable chevauz-de-frize, stops his onward and upward progres 
He loses his foot-hold among the many hairs and falls hope 
lessly back to the bottom, to be eventually either drowned of 
starved. z 
It has often been a matter of surprise to see the number of it- 
sects in these pitchers, and it is more notably so because ber 
seems to be so little to take them there; so little to induce then 
to tumble into the trap spread for them. But in thinking the 
matter over and taking into consideration one or two Cum : 
coincidences, it has occurred to me that this may be explained & 
follows: The flower is of a peculiar structure, is nodding sid 
naked scape, and the stamens with their mass of pollen are oe 
cealed behind the broad, peltate stigma, which forms, in facta sot 
of reversed table, An observer, Mr. J. Jackson, Jr., has Te} 
(Bot. Gaz. vi, p. 242) that in examining a number of ja 
has found the cavity between the inner surface of the stigu | 
the stamens, to be filled with flies, apparently eating the pa 
Fourteen flies were counted on one flower, and were, ane 
“in no hurry to vacate the premises.” The suggestion o 
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ing 1 T 
y any means, and then imagine a smart wind shaking 
vigorously, would not the tendency be to shake the flies iro? ei 
hold, partially stupefied as they are? They would drop © A 
ground, or else into the pitchers opened below them. T 
their turn are admirably adapted to catch falling insects, fOr ; 
hood is upright, and the cavity of the leaf fully i a 
leaves too are spread out in a sort of rosette, quite close sees 
and all so inclined as to bring the openirtg in the most fà 
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