American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-11-28
Piratical Plants.

In previous article. on flesh-eating
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 Dionga Muscipula
Venus Flytrap). This is the most inter
csting of the several species of the vege-
table kingdom that are in the habit of
deriving part of their sustenance from
the juices of insects. An important point
in the hi story of this plant remained un-
settled at the conclusion of Mr.. Darwin S
experiments. 1t was with regard to the
power of a 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 Dionso from Viii
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 a large portion of each day to
experiments with them. We have al
ready described the DiOHRn but will re-
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 a victim When it opens
nothing remains of the prisoner but a
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
but fed indiscriminately upon flies,
beetles, bugs, spiders and miIlepeds
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
uy-ionglegs uroppeu lnto tne trap, tnelf
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
; two leaves closed upon horse flies
May IL they finished their feast and re-
opened their traps. May 81 "a strong leaf
captured a homopterous insect (Uetapo-
deus nasalus), about the size of squash
bug; June ) the leaf opened again, and
nothing was left of the bug but its shell
1t will be seen that fourteen days were
occupied i'll 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 theiI
match in the rose-bug CNacrodtctyIus
subspfnous), 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 a single leai