The Red Cloud chief., 1877-09-06
The Plant that Eats Flies.

There is found in Florida a wonder.
full plant, with large yellow flowers
which are very conspicuous Oh the
damp pine barrenS of that State. The
wonderful part of this plant is not its
flowers, but its leaves. These leaves
are from six to twelve inches in length,
and are hollow, and shaped like a trum-
pet. They stand very erect, and the
opening is covered by a rounded arching
hood. The inside of this hood is very
brilliant, with veins of scarlet running
upon a yellowish ground. On the out
side of the leaf, from the base to the
top, runs a broad wing, bound or edged
by a purplish cord. A lady who wished
to study these curious plants went TO
the place We're they were growing, and
watched them cheerfully. She saw
ants and other insects crawling up the
cord on the outside of the leaf, feeding
as they went Oh some sweet stuff which
had OOZed out of it. She saw many
going up, but none coming down, for
when they got to the top they disap-
peared inside the opening. She took a
number Of leaves home, and setting
them upright in vases of water, sat
down to watch what the flies in the
room would do. They o gathered
around the leaves, and almost as soon
as they had tasted the secretion they
began to act strangely. They became
stupid, and paid no attention to her ef-
forts to shake them from the leaf. Ii
she touched one it wOuld fly IA short dis
lance away, but it invariably returned
to the leaf, and was very soon buzzing
inside the tube. trying to walk up the
dry, smooth surface, and ever falling
back until it was exhausted and still.
The lady. Mrs. Treat, would take a leaf.
and turning it upside down, knock it
until she had liberated all the flies that
were in it; but before long every fy
found its way back again. and walked
in as if fascinated by some spell. On
opening the leaves, after they had been
a day OF two in the house, fifty or more
dies would be found in a single one,
WaSpS, cOckrOacheS and other insects
were attracted in the same way that
the flies were.
This plant is, therefor , you will see
a insect trap; but this is not all. The
most curious part is yet to come. The
plant actually feeds upon the insects
which it catches. The lower part of
the tube is a sort OF stomach. Long
hairs, all pointing downwards, are scat
tered thickly Over the surface. If a leaf
has caught no prey, the hairs are clear
and very transparent; but very soon
after an insect is caught the hairs begin
to absorb, and granular matter may be
seen extending along their entire length.
When a small number of insects are
caught they seem to be digested quickly,
and no diSagreeable OdOr is observed;
but the plant seems to thrive on this
filthy mass of putrid insects; and in
time abSorbS all, save the dry remains
of the wings of beetles and other hard
parts of insects. So this plant feeds
upon carrion, and sets a tempting bait
TO lure insects into its fatal trap. The
secretion on the outside of the
leaf is an intoxicating beverage, which
those who once taste want to taste
again. each time advancing nearer to
the fatal trap. from which there is no
way Of escape. Curious. Is it not, that
Giles should be so foolish? But not 81
curious as that man and woman. with
minds, should act in a precisely similar
manner, and walk so willingly into a
trap set for them, alas. that We should
have TO say il, by other men and women
who are willing TO make money out of
poisoning their fellow creatures.-Ex