Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-05-15
Flesh Diet for Plants.

the pretty little plant called DTOScrd on
sun-dew, says the Providence Journal de-
velops some strange animal instincts. 1t
is Ia charming plant, with lis lovely pink
blossoms, while The dew-like substance is
suing from its glands gives il most cool
and refreshing appearance on warm sum
mer's day. But though it looks the very
picture of innocence and eentcness, it has
a strange taste for Selling, killing, and suck
ing the blood of insects, and for grasping
and eating raw beef. Mrs. Mary Treat has
contributed to the American Naturalist
some very curious observations made up
on this remarkable plant. She fou. d the
specimens upon which she experimental
in New Jersey. The plant was in full
bloom, and growing very thickly on either
side OF an extensive cranberry plantation.
The first experiment was made with the
best known species the DrOS 'rd fHJOTmiS.
Some living flies were pinned half an inch
from the leaves near the apex, about 10
O'clock in the morning. In forty minutes
the leaves had bent pcrceptibly toward the
the flies. In two hours the leaves had
reached the flies. and their leaves were en-
tangled among the brs.les aud held fast
The flies were then removed three quarters
of an inch further from the leaves. The
leaves still remained bent toward the flies,
but could not reach them at this distance.
The observer thinks that the action of the
flies wings may have created sufficient
force to bring the leaves near enough TO en-
tangle the flies, for dead flies failed to Lro-
l,n 3 l,o IL
the same day bits OF raw beef v ere placed
on some of the most vigorous leaves of an
other species Of the plant, the DrOSerd tong
tolid. In two hours two of the leaves had
folded around tho beef, hiding it from sight.
Living flies were also placed upon the same
species of the plant. In a little more than
an hour one Of the leaves had folded entire
ly around its victim, the other leaves lad
practically folded, and the flies had ceased
to sllu9gle. Two hours later, four leaves
had each folded around fly. The DroSs-
rG maniiests a very decided choice in re-
gard 10 its gustatory iancieS. Experiments
were made with bits of dry chalk, magne-
STA, and pebbles, but the plant would have
nothing TO do with them, and aI!er twenty
four hours neither leaves nor brislles had
made the slightest movement toward clasp
ing these articles. A similar result was
produced upon the DrOSerd rOtundifOlid
This variety has longer bristles around the
edge of the leaf, and simply cur!s its bris-
Ties around its victims, tue glands on the
ends Of the brislles touching the substance
like so many mouths receiving nourish-
meni. Some bits of raw beef were placed
upon The leaves about ~ o'clock in the
morning. In two hours the inner bristle,
were curying about it, and the longer bris-
ties at the edge of the leaf were curving
upward. Al 0 o'clock in the evening the
bristles of the three most vigorous leaves
were claspiug the beef, almost conce ding ii
from sight Nor is this ferocious plant con-
tented with small insects. Flies of the
largest size, moths without number, and
butterflies, many of them measuring two
inches across were held captive Till they
died, the treacherous flowers and shiniag
dow Turing them TO destruction. The larg-
er insects, after death, fell around the roots
of the plants rs if to icrtilize them, while
The smaller flies remained adhering to the
leaves. These curious plants thus seem to
IN aniiest decided preference for meat diet,
absorbing the animal substances through
their leaves. MIR. Darwin says that by
pricking point in the leaf OF DroSerc, he
can paralyze half of it, and this indicates
the existence of nerves.