New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-01

EntOmOstTaca too were often captured-DGphhid,
CyolOps and CypriS. These little animals are just
visible to the naked eye, but under the microscope
| are beautiful and interesting objects. The lively
little Cypris is encased in bivalve shell, which 1t
opens at pleasure and thrusts out its feet and two
pairs of antenne, with tufts of feathery-like fila
ments This little animal was quite wary, but never
| theless was often caught Coming TO the entrance
of q bladder it would sometimes pause a moment
and then dash away; at other times it would come
close up, aud even venture part way into the en-
trance and back ont as if afraid. Another, more
needless, would open the door and walk i'll; but 1t
was no sooner in than il manifested alarm, drew IN
its feet and antenne and closed its she'll But after
its cath the shell Enclosed again. displaying its feet
and antenne. | never saw even the smallest ami
malcule escape after il was fairly inside the
bladder
So these points were settled to my satisfaction
that the animals were entrapped, and killed, and
slowly macerated. But how was | to know that
these animals were made subservient to the plant
II could only prove that the contents of the blad-
ders were carried directly into the circulation, my
point was gained. This now was my sole work for
several days, TO examine closely the contents Of the
bladders | found the fluid contents to vary con-
sde1ably from dark, muddy, to very light trans
parent color Hundreds of these badders, after
another were put to the test under the microscope
and found that to greater OF les extent, could
trace the same color that | found in the bladder,
into the stem on which the bladder grew, though
the observation was not so clear and satisfactory
| could wish. After more critical examination j
arrived at the conclusion that the cells themselves
and not their contents, change to a red color the
stems also take this color as to make it appear
as if red fluid was carried from the bladders into
the main stem, which is not specifically the fact so
far as the observations yet made determine: though
the main point that the contents of the bladders
are carried into the circulation does not seem open
to question.
The next step was to see how many of the blad-
ders contained animals and found almost every
one that was well developed contained one more,
or their remains. in various stages of digestion.
The snake-like larva above mentioned was the lar
Qest and most constant animal found. On some Of
the stems that | examined, fully nine out of every
ten of the bladlers contained this arva OF its re-
mains When first caught it was fierce thrusting
out its horns and feet and drawing them back, but
otherwise it seemed partly paralyzed, moving its
body but very little; even small Larvae of this
species that had plenty of room to swim about
soon very quiet, although they showed signs Of
life from twentyf -four to thTty-sx hours after they
were imprisoned. In about twelve hours, as nearly
as could make out, they lost the power of drawing
their feet back and could only move the brush-ike
appendages. There some variation with differ
ent bladders to the time when maceration
digestion began to take place. but usually grow
ing spray in less than two days after large larva
was captured the fluid contents of the badders
began TO assume a cloudy or muddy appearance. and
often became dense that the outline of the animal
was lost to view.
Nothing yet in the history of carnivorous plants
comes so near TO the animal as this. | was forced
to the conclusion that these little bladders are n
truth like so many stomachs, dgestng and assm-
ilating animal food. What IT is that attracts this
particular arva into the bladders is left for further
investigation But here is the fact that animals are
found there, and in large numbers, and who can
deny that the plant feeds directly upon them I
The why aud wherefore is more inexpicable
than many another fact in nature. And it only
goes TO show that the two great kingdoms of nature
are more intimately blended than had hereto
fore supposed and, with DR.. Hooker we may be
compelled to say "Our brother organisms-plants.'
About the LIST OF December, after | had made
most Of my observations, wrote to DR.. Asa Gray
and 10 Mr.. Darwin. both on the same day, telling
them OF my discovery. DR.. Gray then informed me
that Mr.. Darwin had been engaged in the same