Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-11-27
PIratfcaI Plants.

In a previous article on 1eSh-eatlng
plants, says the Chicago Tribune, we
have stated that Mr.. Darwin, the eminent
English naturalist, is about to publish
the results of an extended series of OBJ
servations on the Dson@n Muscspul0
Venus Flytrap). This is the most inter
esting of the several species of the vege-
table kingdom that are in the habit of
deriving a part of their sustenance from
the juices of insects. An important point
in the history Of this plant remained I'M
settled at the conclusion of Mr. DarWin's
experiments. 1t was with regard to the
power of single leaf to catch and di-
gest more than one insect. The question
has been definitely answered by Mrs.
Mary Treat, of Vineland, n. j., a care
full and trustworthy observer. She has
communicated the history of her expert
ments to the New York Tribune, from
which we condense the following:
In May last Mrs. Treat received thirty
fine specimens of the D5On00 from Will
mington, N. C.-the only known locality
where the plants are found. She imme-
diately placed them in separate pots,
numbering each, and regularly thereafter
devoted large portion of each day to
experiments with them. We have al
peat that it grows to the height of from
two to six inches, with leaves springing
directly from the root. Each leaf is
crowned with an appendage resembling
an old-fashioned steel-trap, and with the
same kind of action. At the touch of an
insect on its inner surface it closes with
a quick spring, and almost invariably
shuts upon victim. When it opens,
nothing remains of the prisoner but
little bundle of dry bones. 1t has been
killed, macerated and consumed.
Mrs. Treat reports from her observa-
tions that considerable number of
leaves captured three flies in succession,
although most of them had not strength
to digest the last one. Five of them
opened in an apparently healthy state
after digesting the third fly, but died
soon after closing upon the fourth. The
plants were not restricted in their diet,
but fed Unfortunately upon flies,
beetles, bugs, spiders and millepeds.
Prisoners which Mrs. Treat liberated
after two or three hours incarceration
appeared uninjured, and, after moment
of dumb surprise, fled with the utmost
alacrity. Insects left in the trap twenty
four hours, although often alive at the
end of that time, never recovered.
Though cleansed carefully by Mrs Treat
of the Shiny liquid enveloping them, they
died in every instance. When the dad
dy-long-legs dropped into the trap, their
protracted limbs, which could not be en-
tirely taken in, would show signs of life
for twenty-four or thirty-six hours.
The leaves required on the average
seven days to digest soft-bodied insects,
and a longer time to digest beetles and
other creatures in coats of armOr. May
5 two leaves closed upon horse-fies;
May IL they finished their feast and re-
opened their traps. May 81 a strong leaf
captured hOmopterous insect (Netdp0-
deus naSGluS), about the size of a squash
bug; June 5 the leaf opened again, and
nothing was left of the bug but it's shell.
1t will be seen that fourteen days were
occupied in disposing of this insect. The
shelly covering of the beetles resists the
action of the fluid which the leaves pour
out in order to dissolve them.
The traps pretty nearly had their
match in the rose-bug (MdcrodGctylus
subspinO1s), which would sometimes force
its way out between their clasping teeth
or spines Then, again, it would crouch
close on the bottom of the trap, in order
to hide, according to his habit, and would
be imprisoned effectually. Nine of
these poor beetles Mrs. Treat helped the
leaves to entomb, but only single leaf
was strong enough to digest its victim !;
the other eight died in the effort. The
strongest plant in the collection caught
forty insects between May and October,
and digested most of them. The same
set of leaves, however, did not do all
this work. They were constantly dying
| and being renewed. At one time there
were thirteen strong leaves on the plant;
| and Oct. %, at the time of writing, there
were seven, three of which were closed
upon flies. None of the plants were
allowed to flower, as in this effort their
vigor would have diminished
| Mrs. Treat sat down one day and in
serted the tip of her little finger in one
OF the traps, meaning to hold it there for
five hours at least, and record observa-
| tions. In less than fifteen minutes the
| pressure was considerable, and for more
| than an hour it continued to increase
| In less than two hours she was obliged
| to give up the experiment on account of
severe pain in the arm, although her
| position was perfectly comfortable. On
removing her finger she discovered that
the Shiny secretion had begun to issue
from the trap Although this fluid was
found copiously enveloping an insect
after two or three days imprisonment,
when the traps opened at the close OF
| their meal there was never any present,
1t having been, no doubt, absorbed into
| the circulation.
| -" John stop your CRYING said an an