(seq. 7)

[left]
thread which they had warily attached to the top. I was
much pleased to find you had noticed the phalena which
on a upside in the tube, I had too observed them & thought it was
they might be thier larva which feed among the putrid mass. These lepi
doptera I believe are Sphinges which you know only fly
at night, at least this is the general habit of the
genus, & screen themselves in the day in these tubes.
I have seen their chrysalios [chrysalis] developed in thier usual
covers in the leaves an inch below the brim. How the
sphinges ascend I know not, this I know, that most insects
can not pass up against the points of the villi or pilli.
By good glass we may find that the feet of this species of the sphinx
genus are peculiar for med.

The cause of the attraction of the fly to the faux
I discovered to be a viscid fluid resembling honey in taste
which you may find secreted or deposited on the internal surface
the leaves lining the tube from its brim to the depth of 1/4 of an
inch or more. Early in the morning open a leaf & apply
it to your tongue, I mean the part on which I have said
this fluid is found, you will find it very sweet. About
the middle of the day it seems to be inspissated by the heat
of the sun.

Many insects I found in these tubes, which
which I suspect entered from differ motives from the fly. I was
sitting by some leaves of the S. [Sarracenia] flava in June last & saw a
Scarabous [Scarabaeus] in his flight strike himself against the reflected
appendix & fall into the tube. It was the Scarabous [Scarabaeus] pilularis
which was attending some cuttle that were lying down at no great
distance. I have seen in the tubes growing near deep ponds
several gyrini, gryllus of the largest sort) which made me
suspect that the Nepa might make these leaves thier
repositories (Have you noticed these wonderful insects?)

On the very day on which I saw the Scaraba
=us, spoken of, caught, my attention was attracted by a large
fly (Musca) about twice or thrice the size of the housefly which
was briskly passing from the brim of one tube to another. I expec=
=ted to see it precipitate every moment, but far otherwise
for I perceived it when near me to have its posterior part
over the tube at the termination of the ala ventrals; & eject
a live black headed maggot which immediately by a brisk vermicula mo
tion sought the bottom of the leaf. I had often percieved this
very species of fly about the S. [Sarracenia] variolaris, it has a red head
hairy thighs & body, & is of a grey colour. It belongs to the vivisa
ious section of the genus.

[right]
I fear I have tired you & really suspect you will now
find you procured yourself an uninteresting correspon=
dent. Permit me only to add that the water in the leaves of the
Sarracenia I think is a secretion principally. It has no vis
=cidity ⁠— Now to your enquiries I have never seen the Dionaea
growing wild in any part of S. Carolina. Dr. Barton told he had been
informed that a Dionaea grew in Geo town district wh[ich] he suspected was a new
species. I was born in Geo. town district & am familiar with to the plants in some
parts of that district than with those of St. Stephen's & have never seen them. Many persons who are not
botanists naturelly suppose our Drosera to be a Dionaea. If it grow in Geo.
town district it must be [1.] on or near the road between that place & Wilmington. Its habitat
seems very limited. 2. No Dodecatheon exists in my botanical range, it could not
have escaped me. 3 If the Arbutus laurifolia grows were you suggest I will
find it next summer. 4 I always thot. the A. pulverulenta grew plentifully be
tween the head waters of Black river & Lynches creek & between the Cutter place &
Peedee. I have seen (but it is some years since) in that country the A. [Andromeda] pulveru
lenta of Bartram gives a plate of it, I am certain it grows thru for [Germen?]
company a species of And. [Andromeda] with a plate in his travels. Bartam is not at
5 The And. argentea I know nothing of . The road mentioned I have traveled
twice & my attention I recollect was [caught?] by a Kalmia with glaucous
leaves which I now believe to have been the species cuneata [Kalmia cuneata].

All the plants you have not seen & which I can find will send soon as I can
find them. Many I expect not to see but shall have be able to send some such as
Delphinium, Heritiera, Salix, Grosule [Grossularia], &c &c. To the medical catalogue
I hope to add something important in the course of this season. Drosera rotun
difolia destroys insects or rather insects are destroyed by its leaves precisely as re
lated in Supplement to Dobson's Edition of the Encyclopaedia vide art. Drosera. This
I have witnessed often. The Anthera of the Asclepias obtusifolia converge
& fasten the feet of insects which rob the nectories, as in Apocynum andro
saemifolium. I never saw this latter plant, in the Cairn afinum I have seen no
such thing. Dr. Barton told me that other Asclepiades caught insects. By the the
interchange of specimens of the grasses I will be able to comply with your
wishes. I discover a strong tendency in Walter to multiply species,
this & other defects may have arisen from his being extremely near
sighted. Some person always attends him to point out plants. It is much
to be regretted that we have no biographical sketch of him. His only descen
dants are my particular friends, & they can supply me with no limits
of this nature. Mr. McCormick in Savannah ought to have his diary which
I am told he kept with great & exactness for many years. Not stone or
hillock tells us where he lies. We know he was buried in his garden the site of which can
hardly be determined now. Today, March 8, I discovered the female plants
of the Salix which I called in my last longistria in full bloom. The capsules do [diverge?]
much when compared with those of the S. 5-Ora, & are longè rostrata; satmatè rubra, et
3-4 partita, sunt stigmata, squama Ament. femin. minores quam Ament. masc.
etramet rubra.

I am sincerely,
James Macbride

Allium canadense bloomed today.