e; a little farther down the inside, very minute
hairs are situated with their extremities all pointing to the other
chamber. This is the conducting surface.

[Illustration: THE PITCHER PLANT OF MADAGASCAR.]

Lastly, the small hairs give place to the longer ones, amid which are
placed secreting pores, which give forth the intoxicating nectar. This
is termed the detentive surface. When the pitcher has caught a
sufficient number of insects, the nectar gives place to a substance
which enables the plant more readily to digest its food.

Another variety is the _Mosquito Catcher_. It grows about one foot
high, and the leaves, after reaching a certain height, divide into
long, narrow spathes, covered with hairs, each coated with a bright
gummy substance. This, during sunshine, gives to the plant a most
magnificent appearance. If a plant be placed in a room where
mosquitoes abound, all the troublesome pests will in a brief period be
in its steady embrace.

It is most interesting to watch the method by which it secures its
prey. Immediately the fly alights on the leaf, it may be that only
one of its six legs stick to the sweet, viscid substance at the
extremity of the hairs; but in struggling to free itself, it
invariably touches with its legs or wings the contiguous hairs, and is
immediately fixed.

These little hairs meantime are not idle; they slowly but surely curl
round and draw their victim into the very center of the leaf, thus
bringing it into contact with the very short hairs, which are placed
there in order to facilitate the process of sucking the life-blood
from the body.

THE CUCKOO CLOCK.

The clock is Swiss,
And a curious thing it is,
Set like a flower against the wall,
With a face of walnut brown
Twelve white eyes always staring out,
And long weights hanging down.

But there is more
At the top is a little close-shut door.
And when 'tis time for the hour-stroke,
And at the half-stroke too,
It opens wide of its own accord,
And, hark,--"Cuckoo, cuckoo!"

What do you see?
Why, with a trip and a courtesy,
As if to say,--"Good day, good day,"
Out steps a tiny bird!
And though no soul were near to hear
He'd pipe that same blithe word.

Through all the night,
Through dawn's pale flush, and noon's full light,
And even at twilight, when the dusk
Hides all the room from view,
Out of