a great number of bladders
or utricles, each of which is a real miniature eel-trap, having an
orifice guarded by a flap opening inwards which allows small water
animals to enter, but prevents them from coming out again. The
Butterwort (Pinguicula) is another of these carnivorous plants.

MOVEMENTS OF PLANTS

While considering Plant life we must by no means confine our attention
to the higher orders, but must remember also those lower groups which
converge towards the lower forms of animals, so that in the present
state of our knowledge the two cannot always be distinguished with
certainty. Many of them differ indeed greatly from the ordinary
conception of a plant. Even the comparatively highly organised Sea-weeds
multiply by means of bodies called spores, which an untrained observer
would certainly suppose to be animals. They are covered by vibratile
hairs or "cilia," by means of which they swim about freely in the water,
and even possess a red spot which, as being especially sensitive to
light, may be regarded as an elementary eye, and with the aid of which
they select some suitable spot, to which they ultimately attach
themselves.

It was long considered as almost a characteristic of plants that they
possessed no power of movement. This is now known to be an error. In
fact, as Darwin has shown, every growing part of a plant is in continual
and even constant rotation. The stems of climbing plants make great
sweeps, and in other cases, when the motion is not so apparent, it
nevertheless really exists. I have already mentioned that many plants
change the position of their leaves or flowers, or, as it is called,
sleep at night.

The common Dandelion raises its head when the florets open, opens and
shuts morning and evening, then lies down again while the seeds are
ripening, and raises itself a second time when they are ready to be
carried away by the wind.

Valisneria spiralis is a very interesting case. It is a native of
European rivers, and the female flower has a long spiral stalk which
enables it to float on the surface of the water. The male flowers have
no stalks, and grow low down on the plant. They soon, however, detach
themselves altogether, rise to the surface, and thus are enabled to
fertilise the female flowers among which they float. The spiral stalk of
the female flower then contracts and draws it down to the bottom of the
water so that the seeds may ripen in safety. Many plants throw or bury
their