As there is so little water in the sand to carry food to the plant through the roots, the leaves of these plants must do most of their eating. So in the sand-growing plants the leaves serve as mouth, stomach, and pantry. By the sea-side you will find plenty of sand-growing plants. You can study them, and prove these points for yourselves. Children who are not by the sea may, perhaps, have, near where they live, a curious sand-loving plant, the cactus. The cactus prefers a sandy soil. I have seen a large cactus, covered with yellow blooms, growing right in a drift of clear sand. You will notice that what you call the leaves of the cactus are not real leaves, but thick, odd-shaped stems. These stems are green, and answer for leaves. They are of many queer shapes. They are covered with little clusters of prickles. As they serve for leaves, these odd stems of a sand-plant are fleshy and juicy. The plant stores its food and drink in them. LESSON XII. PLANTS THAT EAT ANIMALS. [Illustration: QUEER DIET.] You have now heard of so many wonders about plants, that perhaps nothing new which you will hear of them will surprise you. You may not even say “Oh!” when I tell you that some plants eat bugs,--as ants, gnats, and flies,--and will not even refuse a nice bit of raw meat! These plants are called the “flesh-eaters.” The name is a long one,--carnivora. Here is a verse about them. As it has long, hard words in it, I wish to say I did not make it. “What’s this I hear About the new carnivora? Can little plants Eat bugs and ants? Why this is retrograding! Surely the fare Of flowers is air, Or sunshine sweet. They should not eat, Or do aught so degrading.” These animal-eating plants are so made that they catch insects, and suck up, or draw out, the juice of their bodies. This juice the plant seems to feed upon. It has been seen to pass from the leaf which catches the insect into the stem and other parts of the plant. In all these insect-eating plants, it is the leaf that does the killing and eating. I will first tell you of a little water-plant of this queer class. It is called the bladder-plant. It is one of the water-plants which float free. On the fringe-like leaves are little bags or bladders. These are full of air, and help the plant to float. The mouth of these little bags has a door opening inward. It is set round with hairs. The little insect-larvæ which live in water, and other tiny animals that swim about, see these little floating bags, with the small, green doors. The creatures act as if they wanted to know what was inside such pretty places. Finally they go in. To go in is easy. But once in, they cannot get out. The little door will not open outwards. After a day or two, the animal thus trapped is all eaten. Only the hard, horny parts, which serve for its bones, are left.