News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-06-12
A BLOOD SUCKING PLANT.

4 Peculiarly Deadly Vine That Grows III
the Woods of Nicaragua.
LEROY Dunstan, well known natur-
alist of New Orleans, who has re-
turned from Central America, where he
spent nearly two years in the study OF
the flora and fauna of the country, re-
lates the finding of a singular growth
in one of the swamps which surround
the great lake of Nicaragua He was
engaged in hunting for botanical and
chronological specimens in this swamp,
which is known as San Sebastian's,
,.when he heard his dog cry out as if in
sarony. from a distance. Running to
the spot from which the aniamaIs cries
came, Mr.. Dunstan found him envel-
oped in a perfect network of what
seemed to be fine, rope ike tissue OF
roots or fibers, the nature of which was
unknown to him.
The plant or vine seemed composed
entirely of bare, interlacing stems, re-
sembling more than anything else the
branches of weeping willow denuded
of all foliage, but of a dark, nearly
black hue, and covered with thick,
viscid gum that exuded from the pores.
Drawing his knife, Mr.. Dunstan en-
deavored to cut the animal free, but 1t
was only with the greatest difficulty
that he succeeded in severing the tieshy,
muscular fiber. To his horror and
amazement the naturalist then saw that
the dogs body was covered with blood,
while his hairless skin appeared to have
been actually sucked or puckered in
spots. and the animal staggered as II
from weakness and exhaustion.
In cutting the vine the twigs curled
ike living, sinuous fingers about Mr..
Dunstan's hand, and it required no
slight force to free the members from
its cling.ng clasp, which left the flesh
red and bIistered. The gum exuding
from the vine was of a dark grayish
tinge, remarkably adhesive and of a
disagreeable animal odor, very power
full and nauseating to inhale.
The native servants who accompa-
MED Mr.. Dunstan manifested the great
est horror Of the vine, which they call
Ia sagenas de diable-the DEVILS seine,
or snare-and were full of stories of its
death dealing powers. One of these
stories was of an Englishman residing
in Managua, who, while hunting in the
swamp few years before, lay down
beneath tree where a large and pow
erful specimen of this singular plant
was growing, and, inadvertently falling
asleep, awoke to find himself enveloped
in its web, and, in spite of every effort
made to extricate him, persisted in its
deadly embrace.
Another story was of an escaped con
Wet. who haa-lai daAa-iR- the swamp
!fi1 whose bones had been found in the
folds of the sagenas only a short time
before Mr. Dunstan's visit. These stor
les, remarkable as they may seem, are
firmly believed in by the people, but
the only three specimens which Mr..
Dunstan was able to find were all
small ones, though the meshes Of the
largest would probably, if extended in
a straight line, measure nearly, if not
quite, 100 feet.
He was able to discover very little
about the nature of the plant, owing to
the difficulty of handling it, for its
grasp can only be torn away with los
of skin, and even of flesh; but as neal
as Mr. Dunstan could ascertain, it!
power of suction is contained in mum
Der of infinitesi1nal mouths or LITTLE
suckers, which, ordinarily closed, opeI
for the reception of food.-Frank Les
lies Monthly.