The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-06-10
A FeFeeae.s I1iptleFIover.

Aa0 sPSCtty utti0 l1dnt CAllcO
Drosera, or sundew, says the Prov
idence journal, develops some
strange animal instincts, It is q
charming plant with its lovely
pink blossoms while the dew like
substance issuing from it's glands
gives it most cool and refreshing I
appearances on q warm summers
day. But though it looks the very
picture Of innocence and gentle ness
it has q strange taste for seizing,
killing and sucking the blood of
insects, and for grasping and'eating
raw beef. Mrs. Mary Treat las
contributed to the American Nat
uralist some very curious OBSERVE
tions upon this remarkable plant.
She found the specimens. upon
which she experimented in New Jer-
sy. The plant was in full bloom, and
growing very thickiy on either.aidsl
Of an extensive cranberry planta-g
ton The first experiment was
made with the best known species,
the Dresera filiformis Some nv
ing flies were pinned half an inch
from the apex, about 10 o'clock in
the morning. In forty minutes the
leaves had bent perceptibly towards
the flies. In two hours the leaves
had reached the flies. and their
wings were entangled among the
bristles and held fast. The flies
were then removed three quarters
! of an inch further from the leaves.
The leaves still remained bent to
ward the dies, but could not reach
them at q, this distance. The oh g
! server thinks that. the flies wings
may have created sufficient force to
bring the leaves near enough to
entangle the flies, for dead flies
failed to produce the same result
as living ones. On, The same day
Ehits OF raw beef were placed on
sdine of the most vigorous leaves
of another species of the plant, the
Drosera longifolia. In two hours
two Of the leaves had folded around
tile beef, hiding it from sight. 80.
| Living flies were also placed
upon the same species of the plant.
In little more than an hour one
of the leaves had folded entirely
around it's victim, the other leaves
had partially folded, and the flies
ceased to struggle. Two hours
later four. leaves had each folded
around q fly. The Drosera mani
tests very decided choice in re-
gard to its gustatory fancies. Ex.
periments were made with bits oi
dried chalk, magnesia and pebbles
but the plant would have nothing
to do with them, and, after twenty
four hours, neither leaves nor bris
: ties had made the slightest move
ment toward cIasping these articles
A similar result was produced upor
the Droscra rotundifolia.
,, This variety has longer bristles
+ around the edge of the leaf, and
t simply curls it's bristlcs around it,
= victims, the glands on the ends o1
! the bristles toaching the substance
!, like SO many mouths receiving
nourishment Some bits of raw
) beef were placed upon the leave.
about 10 o'clock in the morning
! In two hours the inner bristle,
were curving about it, and th,
longer bristles at the edge Of th,
: leaf were curving upward At ]!
/ o'clock in the evening tho bristle,
!. of the three most vigorous leave
' were clasping the beef, almost con
t cealing it from sight. Nor is Til
d ferocious plant coaterted Will
: small insects Flieso the larges
1 l size, moths without number. amt
+ butterflies, many Of them measurnl.
i two inches across, were held CAP
e tive till they died, the treacherou
4 flowers and shining dew Turin,
< them to destruction. The large
u insects, after death, fell around th
roots Of the plants, as If to fertile
. them, while the smaller flies re
: manned adhering to the leave.
e These curious plants thus seem {,
!, manifest decided preference TO
q meat diet, absorbing the AIMING
!, substances through their leaves
: : Mr.. Darwin says that by prickin,
e a point IN the leaf of a Drosera h
can paralyze half Of it, and this in
!, dicates the existence of nerves. i
4 ls - 80 LIZ. 50 =