[ 59i ] 
and by degrees expand their Leaves, and appear in 
their former Beauty. From fuch an Appearance at firft 
I could give it no other Name but that of a fenfitive 
Flower 5 efpecially when I once faw feveral Stamina , 
but without Apices , rife up from the Socket of* the 
Flower. Yet no fooner had thefe appeared to give me 
the Idea of a perfect Flower, but that replete with 
Animal Life, if Motion, and a Capacity of Self-pre- 
fervation may be called fuch j thefe Claws, or Arms, 
which I mud no longer call Stamina , darted from 
one Side of the Flower to another, and about its Verge,, 
with a quick Motion, as if in Search of Prey. What 
further confirmed me in this Opinion, was, that I ob- 
ferved thefe- Claws, when in Motion, to be jointed, 
and that they would often clofe together, as fo many 
Forcipes ; though their Appearance was but for a fhorc 
time, foon retreating and difappearing again in the 
Socket of the Flower. As this feems to me, if it 
is allowed to be an Animal, to be its manner of 
taking its Prey, I leave it to the Judgment of others 
to conftder whether, as thefe radiated Leaves can in- 
an Inftant clofe, with a ftrong elaftic Force, to avoid 
Danger, they may not alfo when the Prey is brought 
within their Circle, be of Ufe to confine and fecure 
it in their Embrace, till it is conveyed to the Mouth; 
which I fuppofe to be in the Socket, of what I have 
at firft called a Flower. The Top of the Stone, out 
of which thefe feeming Flowers do grow, is covered 
over with Cluflers of Water-bottles, that refemble 
unripe Grapes. Among thefe I found alfo feveral 
fmall blue Flowers, refembling the yellow ones in 
their Form and other Qualities. 
l 
Having 
