228 THE OPEN BOOK OF NATURE 
and the fluid turns acid and capable of digesting 
animal matter. The digestive fluid dissolves every- 
thing in the insect that is good to eat, and the leaf 
absorbs the solution. In this way the plant secures 
some food elements which in its native situation it 
would have difficulty in getting in other ways. 
The indigestible remains of insects are generally to 
be seen on the leaves of the Butterwort, and I have 
often seen insects on them which have recently 
been entrapped. 
_. The Sundew is another insectivorous plant. The 
commonest species is Drosera rotundifolia, the Round- 
leaved Sundew. This plant frequents wet situations 
on moorlands, and may be found growing in great 
numbers amongst bog-moss. The leaves are all 
radical, and arranged in rosette-like form. The But- 
terwort leaves are stalkless, but those of the Sundew 
are borne on short stalks, and are round in shape. 
I have often thought that they bear some resem- 
blance to a soup-ladle. The leaves are of a reddish 
colour, and their surfaces are studded with long 
glands, each one of which secretes a drop of sticky 
fluid, which looks like a dewdrop on the point of a 
stout hair. When the leaves are fully developed all 
the glands point outwards, the numerous little drops 
of fluid glistening in the sunshine. Perhaps insects 
mistake the shining globes for dewdrops, and make 
for the leaves in anticipation of a lovely drink. 
Whatever the insects actually think about the 
attractions of the Sundew, there is no doubt about 
them being caught by the leaves. When they settle 
in anticipation of a good drink they find themselves 
glued by the sticky fluid. They struggle to get 
