ABSTRACT
Dionaea Muscipula plant, commonly called Venus' fly-trap, from the rapidity and force of its movements, is one of the most wonderful in the world. The sensitive filaments are formed of several rows of elongated cells, filled with purplish fluid. This filament, from their tips to their bases, quotes Oudemans, to the effect that the filaments are much more sensitive at the base than elsewhere. Long immersion of the filaments in distilled water likewise causes aggregation. The upper surface of the lobes, as already stated, is thickly covered with small purplish, almost sessile glands. This chapter considers the action of the leaves when insects happen to touch one of the sensitive filaments. As soon as a filament is touched, both close with astonishing quickness; and as they stand at less than a right angle to each other, they have a good chance of catching any intruder.
