DARWINISM. 
109 
fertilization of plants. Now, as regards the origin of these 
curious forms of life, let us suppose that a plant be placed in 
certain abnormal conditipns, so as not to he able to derive 
nutriment from the usual source — the roots ; is it not possible 
that the organs of absorption would be increased in power in the 
effort to adapt the plant to the circumstances in which it is 
placed, and to supply the needed nutriment in another way? 
till at length by reason of a favourable variation, sufficiently 
marked to be taken hold of by natural selection, and increased 
by the law of heredity, these organs are not only increased in 
power, hut perhaps altered in function, and united with appro- 
priate glands, the whole structure being correlated as to the 
possession of hairy appendages, &c., suitable to the requirements 
of the plant. With regard to the retention of insects, we know 
that the leaves of many plants, exude a gummy matter, which 
serves to attach them (insects) to the surface of the leaf, and 
have only to suppose it to be an advantage to the plant to have 
tills exudation increased, with the object of supplying a source 
of nutriment ; this being probably effected, first, by the decom- 
position of the animal matter and its absorption as a kind of 
manure, when the plant may be said to be partly insectivorous — 
in a transition state ; and then, the appearance through a 
favourable variation, of the direct digestive power, which, giving 
the plant a more decided advantage over others, would, if 
sufficiently marked, be laid hold of by natural selection and the 
law of heredity, and at length become confirmed. We know at 
present little or nothing regarding these curious forms of life ; 
but it may perhaps be suggested as probable that they differ 
much as to the power of digesting insects ; and if this be so, the 
plant which has most power of this kind will have an advantage 
over others, and will therefore tend to increase. 
If, however, the plant be thus benefited, it seems but 
reasonable to believe that though the individual insect derives no 
