So also the Venus' fly trap captures insects by means of its
leaf, which closes upon the prey when certain sensitive hairs have
given the signal that the animal has been trapped. Within the leaf the
insect is duly digested as before, and its substance applied to the
nutrition of the plant. Such plants, moreover, cannot flourish
perfectly unless duly supplied with their animal food. Such
illustrations of exceptions to the rule of green plant feeding simply
have the effect of abolishing the distinctions which the diet question
might be supposed to raise between animals and plants. We may return
to the sundews and other insect catchers; meanwhile, I have said
enough to show that to the question, "Can we separate animals from
plants?" a very decided negative reply must be given. Life everywhere
exhibits too many points of contact to admit of any boundary line
being drawn between the two great groups which make up the sum total
of organic existence.--_Illustrated London News._
* * * * *
THE RECOVERY OF SILVER AND GOLD FROM PLATING AND GILDING SOLUTIONS.
In view of the rapid development and extension of the methods of
electro-plating with silver and gold, and of the large amount of spent
liquors containing silver or gold thus produced, it has long been
desirable to find methods by which these metals can be recovered from
the spent liquors.
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