Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-12-11
THE oUEEREST FREAK.
A New Kind OF Vegetable whisky shop
That Captures and Eats Frogs.


That Captures and Eats Frogs.
A new species of vegetable whisky
shop has been added to the collection
Of plant curiosities at the Botanical
Garden, says the Washington Star.
The liquor it distills In the pitcher
shaped receptacles that hang from Its
stems is especially liked by frogs,
which hop into these traps for the pur-
pose OF drinking il. Although the
sweetish fluid lie powerful intoxi-
can't the batrachian customer, however
wildly overstimulated, would certainly
jump out again were it not that two
very sharp. dagger-like thorns project
downward from the lip Of the vessel In
such a manner that Mr.. Frog, In try
ing to escape, is thrust through tho
body by them at every leap until
presently he falls dead in the liquid
refreshment'-an appropriate object
lesson 10 all Incorporate creatures
whereupon the plant absorbs his SUBJ
stance as the ordinary whisky shop
consumes that of its frequenter, and 10
thus supported.
This species is tropical and has TO
be kept in the green house devoted TO
plants OF the equatorial belt. Natur-
ally there are no frogs in the con-
servatory, and so superintendent
Smith is obliged to feed this eccentric
vegetable with raw meat chopped fine,
on which it thrives excellently. For
lack OF insects likewise he supplies
with the same artificial sustenance
the other sorts OF whisky shops that
find In bugs of various descriptions
their chosen prey. They will all eat
beef although each variety seems to
have in nature its particular line OF
customers one capturing ooekroaches,
another ants. and so on. Doubtless
they all could live on animal food, but
there seems TO be difference Of taste
among the insects TO the liquors. One
species will only touch the drink
served by n certain representative 81
this carnivorous plant family; another
selects by preference different brew,
and 90 on.
Thus but one sort of bug is ordi-
narily found in one set OF pitchers,
those designed for the accommodation
Of large beetles and cockroaches being
as big as small shoes. 1t is very GU
rious to cut open one Of these vessels
after il has become withered and dead,
being merely formed OF one end of THE
leaf and to find what wonderful col
lection Of victims it has gathered in
and not finally dieested, often number
ing many hundreds, If the prey is
small. The whole structure Of each
trap Ia beyond measure curious, the
inner surface of some OF them being
coated with little bristles that project
downward, and prevent the guest sc
Hospitality received from walking out
again.
This Is particularly feature O.
what the superintendent calls the veg
etable lager beer saloons, which pre-.
pare liquor of much less Intoxicating
quality in tall chalice-shaped vessel:
instead OF pitchers, depending upor
drowning their customers rather thar
making them so drunk that they car
not get away. A deplorable thing Il
seems, by the way, TO find such bat
habits prevalent among bugs, the
opinion having always been held tina
only man, the most noble OF animals,
had right to indulge in vices to the
elaboration and invention of which hc
has given so much attention.
So far as can be ascertained NJ
analysis has ever been made OF the
liquors dispensed by these vegetable
gin mills, chiefly owing to the fac
that such an experiment would In
volve very difficult problem in or
ganic chemistry 1t is known, how
ever, that the strongest Of them con
tain a large proportion Of alcohol
Persons hard up for stimulants hav,
often achieved maximum of intoxica
ton by swallowing the contents OF {
few OF the pitchers which sometime
hold more than a quarter OF pin
each, without bothering about the in
sects In the fluid. Why may 1t not b,
that from this origin the term 'buI
juice" lie derivedp How appropriated.
is such beverage adapted TO the con
vivisl uses Of the tropical tramp, who
while pursuing his leisurely travels
can literally pluck his drinks by III
wayside!