( 37 ) 
London, Sept. 23, 1769. 
My dear Friend, 
I K N O W that every difcovery in nature is a treat to you ; but 
in this you will have a feaft. 
You have feen the Mimofa, or Senfitive Plants, clofe their 
leaves, and bend their joints, upon the leaf! touch: and this has 
aftonifhed you; but no end or defign of nature has yet appeared to 
you from thefe furprizing motions: they foon recover themfelves 
again, and their leaves are expanded as before. 
But the plant, of which I now inclofe you an exacft figure, with 
a fpecimen of its leaves and blofl'oms, fhews, that nature may 
have fome view towards its nourijhment , in forming the upper 
joint of its leaf like a machine to catch food: upon the middle of 
this lies the bait for the unhappy infeft that becomes its prey. 
Many minute red glands, that cover its inner furface, and which 
perhaps difcharge fweet liquor, tempt the poor animal to tafte 
them: and the inftant thefe tender parts are irritated by its feet, 
the two lobes rife up, grafip it faft, lock the rows of (pines together, 
and fqueeze it to death. And, further, left the ftrong efforts for 
life, in the creature thus taken, fhould ferve to difengage it; three 
fmall erecft fpines are fixed near the middle of each lobe, among, 
the glands, that effectually put an end to all its draggles. Nor do 
the lobes ever open again, while the dead animal continues there. 
But it is neverthelefs certain, that the plant cannot diftinguifh an 
animal, from a vegetable or mineral, fubftance; for if we intro- 
duce a ftraw or a pin between the lobes, it will grafp it full as faft 
as if it was an infeCL 
In 
