It is a hardy perennial plant, growing to about the height of a foot and a half, or two feet, and flowering from the beginning of July, to September; it has a creeping root, thereby it increases greatly in light dry soils, and warm situations, so as even to be troublesome; it will not thrive in a wet soil; with us it produces seed-vessels but rarely; is propagated by parting its roots in Autumn or Spring; MILLER recommends March as the most proper season, or it may be raised from seeds, which in certain situations and seasons ripen here. The flowers of this Apocynum have a sweet honey-like fragrance, which perfumes the air to a considerable distance, and no doubt operates powerfully in attracting insects; when a plant of this sort is fully blown, one may always find flies caught in its blossoms, usually by the trunk, very rarely by the leg; sometimes four, or even five, which is the greatest possible number, are found in one flower, some dead, others endeavouring to disentangle themselves, in which they are now and then so fortunate as to succeed; these flies are of different species, the _musca pipiens_, a slender variegated fly with thick thighs, is a very common victim, the _musca domestica_, or house fly, we have never observed among the captives. Previous to our explaining the manner in which it appears to us that these insects are caught, it will be necessary that we should describe, in as plain a manner as possible, those parts of the flower which more particularly constitute this fatal fly trap.