The Arizona sentinel., 1889-06-15

time, finally settled on the top of tbe
 tree, when the branches began to
 awaken, as it were, and to curl up-
 ward. They twisted and twisted like
 snakes about the bird, which began to
 scream, and drew it down in their
 fearful embrace until I lost sight of jt
 Horror-stricken, l seized the nearest
 rock in an attempt to climb the knob. l
 had so often tried in vain to do this that
 Twas not surprised when fell back, but
 the rock was loosened and fell also. 1t
 narrowly missed me, but sprung up
 unhurt, and saw that the fallen rock
 had left a considerable cavity. l put
 my face to it and looked in. Some
 thing like a cavern, the floor of which
 had an upward tendency, met my
 sight, and 1 felt current of fresh air
 blowing on me, with dry, earthly
 smell. Evidently there was another
 the summit. Using my trowel, which
 1 always carried on my botanizing ex-
 petitions, I enlarged the hole, and
 then pushed my way up through the
 passage. When I had nearly reached
 the top I looked out cautiously to see
 if l should emerge within reach of
 that diabolical tree. But 1 found it
 nowhere near the aperture, so sprung out I was just in time to see the flat
 tened carcass of the bird fall to the ground, which was covered with bones and feathers. I approached as close ly as I dared and examined the tree. It was low in size, not more than twenty feet high, but covering great area. Its trunk was of prodigious thickness, knotted and scaly. From the top of this trunk, a few feet from the ground, it's slimy branches curved upward and down. ward, nearly touching the ground with their tapering tips. Its appearance was that of gigantic tarantula await ing its prey. On my venturing to lightly touch one of the limbs, it closed upon my hand with such force that when l tore it loose the skin came with it. 1 descended then, and clos ing the passage returned home. 1 went back next day carrying half @ dozen chickens with which to feed the tree. The moment I tossed it the fowls, a violent agitation shook it's branches, which swayed to and fro with a sinuous, snaky motion. After devouring the fowls, these branches, fully gorged, dropped to their former position, and the tree, giving no signs of animation, I dared to approach it and take the limbs in my hand. They were covered with suckers, re- sembling the tentaclesof an octopus. The blood of the fowls had been ab- sorbed by these suckers, leaving crim- son stains on the dark surface. There was no foliage, of course, of any kind. Without speaking of my discovery to any one about, I wrote an account of it to the world-famous botanist, Prof. Wordenhaupt of the University of His reply states that my tree Is the arbor dlaboll, only two specimens of which have ever been on the peak of the Hima- layas and the other on the island of Sumatra. Mine is the third. Prof. Wordenhaupt says that the arbor diaboli and the plant known as the Venus fy-trap are the only known specimens, growing on the land, of those forms of life which partake of the nature of both animal and vege- table kingdoms, although there are in- stances too numerous to mention found of this class in the sea. The Portugese may be mentioned, how ever, as one, and the sponge as the best known specimen of this class Chihuahua (Mex.) Cor. Globe-Demo- crat.