The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-30
Mexican Tree that DeVours Chickens and Birds.
1St louis Globe DesaocrGkI

81 LOUIS GtOoe-DesaoerGL.i
/ have taken much interest in the study of
botany during my sojourn in this country, the
fora of which presents one of the richest fields
for the scientist in the world, and have wan
dered some distance from town on several
occasions in my search for specimens. On one
of these expeditions / noticed dark object on
one of the outlying spurs of the Sierra Madre
Mountains, which object excited my curiosity
SO much that 1 examined it carefully thyough
my field glass. This revealed that the object
was tree or shrub of such an unusual appear
ance that / resolved TO visit the spot
/ rode TO the mountain, the sides of which
sloped sufficiently for me to make my way on
horseback TO within a few rods OF the summit.
But here / was stopped by an abrupt rise, so
steep that despaired of reaching it even on
foot. ! went around it several times seeking
for some way to climb up. but the jagged, beet
ling rocks afforded not the slightest foothold.
On the top Of this knob stands the tree | had
seen. From the spot on which now stood
could see that it somewhat resembled in form
the weeping willow, but the long, dropping
whip-like limbs were of a dark and apparently
Shiny appearance, and seemed possessed of a
horrible life-like power of coiling and uncoil-
ing. Occasionally the whole tree would seem
a writing, squirming mass
My desire to investigate this strange vegeta-
bic product increased on each Of the many ex-
peditions / made TO the spot, and at last saw
! a sight one day which made me believe / had
| certainly discovered an unheard-of thing. a
| bird which / had watched circling about for
some time finally settled on the top of the tree,
| when the branches began to awaken, as it
were and to curl upward. They twined and
1 twisted like snakes about the bird, which
1 began to scream, and drew it down in their
fearful embrace until lost sight of it. Horror
/ stricken, seized the nearest rock in an at
tempt TO climb the knob. ] had so often tried
Irf1
] fell back, but the rock was loosened and fell
also 1t narrowly missed me- but l sprang up
| unhurt, and saw that the fallen rock had left a
considerable cavity.
| put my face to ii and looked in. Something
| like a cavern, the floor of which had an upward
tendency. met my sight, and l felt current oi
fresh air blowing on me. with dry, earthly
smell. Evidently there was another opening
somewhere, undoubtedly at the summit. Using
my trowel which / always carried on my bot
anizing expeditions, l enlarged the hole, and
then pushed my way up through the passage
| When had nearly reached the top l looked
out cautiously to see If should emerge within
reach of that diabolical tree. But found il
nowhere near the aperture, SO i sprang out
was just in time TO see the hattened carcass O.
the bird drop to the ground, which was covered
with bones and feathers.
l approached as closely as / dared and ex
| amined the tree. 1t was low in size, not more
than 20 feet high, but covering great area
Its trunk was Of prodigious thickness, knotteC
and scaly. From the top of this trunk, few
feet from the ground, its Shiny branches curved
upward and downward, nearly touching th'
| ground with their tapering tips. Its appear
ance was that Of a gigantic tarantula awaiting
its prey. On my venturing to lightly toucl
one of the limbs it closed upon my hand Will
snch force that when l tore it loose the skin
came with it. / descended then, and cIosin,
the passage returned home
. . went back next day carrying half dozel
: chickens with which TO feed the tree. The mo
! ment tossed it the fowls, violent agitation
! shook its branches, which swayed to ard fr
with sinuous. snaky motion. After devouI
Z ing the fowls, these branches fully gorged
T. dropped to their former position, and the tree
: ] giving no sign Of animation, dared approac
it and take the limbs in my hand. They wer
= = covered with suckers, resembling the tentace
; ! Of an octopus. The blood Of the fowls had bee
= absorbed by these suckers, leaving crimso
: stains on the dark surface. There was no foil
= age, of course, of any kind.
Without speaking of my discovery TO any
E one about. / wrote an account of il to th
! world famous botanist, Prof. Wordenhaupt
g the University of Heidelberg. His reply state
that my tree is the Arb0r Diaboli, only tw
specimens of which have ever been known
e one on peak Of the Himalayas and the othe
n on the island of Sumatra. Mine is the thir(
l. Prof. Wordenhaupt says that the Arbor Dir
Is boli and the plant known as Venus fy-trap al
e the only known specimens, growing on til
Is land, of those forms of life which partake
= the nature of both the animal and vegetabl
II kingdoms, although there are instances too nj
r, merous to mention found of this class in th
e sea. The Portuguese man-of-war may be mer
: toned, however, as one, and the sponge as th
n best-known specimen.
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