The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-03-11
The Anti-MonoP0liSt.

or absorption by the plants, through a
regular process of digestion. The atten-
ion Of Mrs. Treat had been previously
called to these bladders by discovering,
On an examination under the microscope, !
that they usually contained anlmalcules;
but it was not until October last that she
set herself to a careful inquiry into the
meaning Of this phenomenon. The plan :
upon which she experimental chiefly were
Of the species known to botanlsts as
Utricularia claudestind. 1t is not
found in Western waters, but ranges
through New York, New England, and
New Jersey.
Mrs. Treat noticed that the bladders
were composed Of irregular cells. and
that, over the entire inner surface, clus-
ters of star-like points, always four in
number, were methodically disposed. The
Office of these points is not determined, |
but our observer inferred that it was to
cripple the action Of the living animal.
The creature most frequently entrapped
was snake-like larvae, which, under the
microscope, exhibited fierce locking jaws.
and pair Of telescope horns, which it
drew in and out at pleasure. After much
maneuvering to learn the method to
which these larvae were imprisoned. Mrs
Treat was obliged to give up the attempt
The creature refused to walk into the
Jaws of death merely for her entertain
ment. When under the cold, curious
eye. they pranced and founced about as
if frantic, passing the bladders without
so much as a dash in their direction.
But, when the dish containing plants and
prey were set aside, in few hours the
latter ,uid be found secure within the
nav of the former. It looks as if there
we're some sort of method in the laryal
madness.
Res:ening the nope Of sceinv how the
Larvae found their way inside the bladders,
| Mrs. Treat fixeG her attention on the tiny
animalcules likely to be victimized. These
showed no resentment at her staring, but
allowed themselves to be trapped under
her verv eve. The bladder is pointed at
the outer end, and here is the entrance,
opening into tunnel net, which has
spring door at the inner extremity. The
animalcules, swimming and dallying about
this entrance, would sooner or later ven
ture in, and, in the course of their re-
connossance, would push upen the spring
door and pass through. Once inside the
Utmost chamber, there was no retreat.
The door was means Of entrance, but
not of exit. 1t swung in, but never out,
and the little providers who risked open
ing it crossed its Threshold only once.
Their doom was thenceforth sealed.
The movements of water-bear Tar
digradd) which entered the prison were
quite amusing. The diminutive Bruln
slewly travelled around the bladder, as if
curious to learn its nature and object in
the submarine world. Finally it poked
it's way into the entrance, and, pushing
open the door, complacently walked in.
1t seemed to regard the neat little cham
Der in which it found itself with pleasant
surprise, but soon grew quiet as II
numbing stupor was creeping over 1t.
The following morning it lay in its fatal
prison still and stiff, with its tiny feet and
claws stretched out cold and rigid in
death. 1t was piteous, though micro
scopic, spectacle. 1t was tragedy, albeit
reduced to miniature.
chromosomes often fell into the trap
Daphnia. Cyclops and Cypris. The
lively little Cypris dwells in bivalvt
shell, out of which it thrusts its feet anc
two pairs Of antennR, with tufts OF plumy
filaments, as it scuttles through the wa
ter 1t is a shrewd little spirit; never
: theless, the bladders frequently caugh
it. Sometimes one would sail up to thu
entrance, peep cautiously in, and thel
. dash away in terrific hurry. Then ont
would side warily about, and even ven
10 nrslv
:, back rapidly out as if affrighted. Finally
one more reckless than the others woul'
i open the door and pass in. But, on tn
i instant, it would manifest intense alarm
and draw in its feet and antennH, an
close its shell. After its death, which IL
!, cvitab!y followed, the shell would ope
again and disclose the feet and antenna
Not the smallest animalcule ever escape
!, from The bladder.
After submitting hundreds Of bladder
l. to the test Of the microscope. Mrs. Urea
!. determined that the contents OF the blat
It ders passed into the stems. and theme
g undoubtedly into the circulation OF tn
il plant The fluid in the bladders varle
from dark, muddy hue to light, tran
T. parent color. In less than two day
Is ldIEt lAPtAiIAs -
o liquid surrounding it would assume
cloudy or muddy appearance, often b
coming so dense as to obscure the GU
- lines Of the animal. This appearant
lc continued while the process Of digestie
was going on. When it was concludes
" the liquid grew clear again.
ut Nearly every well-developed bladd'
h contained one or more animals. II
Or snake-like larva above mentioned was II
r. creature most frequently present. =
D. some Of the stems, nine out Of every t
re bladders contained this larva or its :
he mains. In about twelve hours after Il
e. larv@ were caught, they lost the pow
or of moving their feet. and could mere
in stir the brush-like appendages- SIN.
is Larvae. that had plenty Of room to sWi
IL about. would soon grow quiet, althou'
u they showed signs of life for twenty-h