INSECT-CATCHING FLOWERS. 
No doubt any one who has given much attention to the plants 
of his or her locaHty, will have become familiar with one or more 
species of the genus Silene, commonly called catch-fly or campion, 
the stems of which have a part of each internode covered with a 
viscid substance to which we generally find adhering various small 
beetles, flies, aphides, and, occasionally, even Agrionine dragon 
flies. It is somewhat puzzling to attempt to determine just what 
purpose this provision serv^es the plant, unless, as is suggested by 
the way we sometimes daub a ring of pitch or other sticky matter 
about the trunks of our fruit trees, it may be effective in keeping 
certain insects from climbing up the stems to feed on the flowers. 
Throughout the more arid portions of Utah and the adjoining 
states, we find several species of Mentzelia. Some of these have 
large and beautiful yellow or whitish flowers, and there are two 
kinds at least which, like the evening primroses, open only towards 
evening; closing again as the morning sun strikes them, while 
with other species, the reverse is true. These plants are clothed 
with a fine barbed pubescence that takes hold of the feet of various, 
small insects, holding them securely. An interesting fact in this 
connection is, that a small spider of the family Attidse, a hand- 
some and active little fellow, looking like a fleck of shining bronze, 
takes up its abode on one of these plants ( M. l^vicaiilis) , and am- 
bles freely over its leaves and stems looking for captives. This 
spider spins no web for catching its prey, and it is evident that — 
so long as it is the protege of the Mentzelia, it will not require such 
a web. 
Among the weeds of my garden one year, were profusely dis- 
persed clumps of fox tail grass, having a bristly inflorescence that 
immediately attracted attention by adhering to one's clothing 
wherever brushed against. Further notice disclosed that these 
grasses usually had sticking to them a number of ^'lady bugs"" 
(Coccinnellidse), lace-wings (Chrysopa), and other small 
creatures of similar kinds. An amusing incident occurred one 
morning as I walked among these grasses : There were plenty of 
