The representative., 1901-03-21
FLESH EATING PLANT
In Civilization 1t Became an Epicure
and Finally Died Of 0out.

The desultory talk Of Q little group Of
travellers in one of the hotel corridors the
other evening had drifted to natural curio-
stiles. and, as usual on such occasions, the
stories had grown slightly taller az the
ball went around the circle. Finally 1t was
passed up" to a sallow faced man who had
registered from San Jose, Cost Rica, and
VINO had listened to the narratives OF the
others In thoughtful silence. II scarcely
know what can add to your symposium" J"
he said. In response to some pressing; "for
1 have really seen very little that was out
or the ordinary in my life, and nothing at
all that compares with the extraordinary
things that have just been described. II
you are willing to risk being bored, how
ever. I'll tell you briefly about a rather
curious carnivorous plant found q couple
OF years ago in Southern Nicaragua. I
was on prospecting expedition at the
time." he continued. "and had penetrated
practically unknown region southwest Of
the lower lakes. One day, while was
pushing my way through an almost tropical
stretch Of forest, I noticed a very strange
loking plant at the foot Of an immense
cabbage palmetto. 1t consisted of a single
gren stalk. nearly as big around as my
wrist but only about two feet high, with a
few thick. lumpy leaves, and a large, cup
shaped, purple blossom perched at the ex-
treme tip. The Central American jungles
are fun OF all sorts of fantastic flowers
but this was SO widely different from any
thing l had even seen that 1 sat down
to study 1t In detail. While l was scru-
tinizng the queer growth a humble bee
fully as large as the end of my thumb
came sailing down, and after few prelimi
nary pirouettes, dived into the purple cup
Instantly the ends of the petals curled in
ward, and in less time than 1t takes to tell
1t the blossom had assumed the appear
ance of globe, imprisoning the insect in
side. I saw then that l had encountered a
new and singular specimen of the carniv-
orous or flesh eating plant" "Oh, yes!
they are well known to botanists" said a
gentleman from California. who had told a
story about double headed bullfrog; I've
seen several varieties myself" Exactly"
replied the Central American, with a cour-
teous gesture, "but l warned you in ad-
vance had nothing remarkable to relate.
Compared to your frog, my plant was a
mere weed" That's all right" said the
Californian indulgently; go on and tell us
about it,
When I recognized the true character of
the plant" continued the sallow stranger,
Il became very much interested. All the
knowledge cOnfine themselves to tiny gnats
and such small game, but here was a growth
hardy and voracious enough to take in a
huge humble bee at a single mouthful. In
less than i've minutes the petals slowly un-
folded and the insect had disappeared. Up
on that determined to take the plant with
me for further study, and digging it up
with aq-machete, / carefully planted in a
: large earthen water jar and turned it over
to one of my Indian guides. About two
weeks later l returned to the town of Elar-
no, on the river, where 1 was then living,
and one of the first things I did was to put
the plant on the center table at my house
During the journey the Indian had fed it
faithfully on flies and 1T was apparently in
an excellent condition. The thing was SO
human In the way 1t opened and shut its
mouth that named it William Henry, after
an old friend of mine who had rather a
remarkable appetite, and az flies were some
what bothersome to secure, 1t occurred to
me to try 1t on meat. I gave it small
piece Of beefsteak to begin with and 1t was
really pathetic to see the evident relish with
which it gobbled 1t down. The poor thing
hid never tasted civilized food before, and
I a soon ~ It disposed Of the fragment Of
bteak 1t opened its petals 20 wide that
Was actually afraid they would split apart.
lt wAA IT. dumb way Of pleading for more.