have to thank the liberality and kindness of our excellent friend, that distinguished traveller and botanist, Von Martius, 
Short teeth of various sizes are found on the labellum of most of the Mexican Cyrtochilums; and in this, as in many 
other respects, Cyrtochilum approaches Odontoglossum so closely, as to be most easily confounded with it; indeed, 
we were disposed to consider the subject of this article to be a species of the latter genus, until Dr. Linpiey convinced 
us that it belonged to the former, and, at the same time, pointed out the following as the principal distinction between 
the two genera, viz.—the labellum in Cyrtochilum is distinct from, while in Odontoglossum it is partially united to, 
the base of the column. 
Autumn is the flowering season of C. Bictoniense ; and it has already blossomed twice under the care of Lord 
Rouie’s gardener, Mr. Gienpixntnc, who is known to have but few rivals in his management of the Tropical 
Orchidacee. We have now (Noy. 1837) in blow a variety of this plant, with a pure white lip, and pale green sepals 
and petals, faintly blotched with a darker colour; in habit it exactly resembles the Bicton specimens, but its flowers 
are neither so large nor so beautiful Both varieties are natives of the warmer parts of Guatemala, where they were 
detected by Mr. Skinner. By this gentleman they were placed, with other treasures of a like description, in the 
hands of Captain Surron, R.N., and to the care which he bestowed upon them during their passage to this country, 
must be ascribed the beautiful condition in which they reached its shores, in June, 1835. Agreeably to the wishes 
of their generous discoverer, Captain Surron distributed in various quarters the vegetable spoils which he had so 
successfully brought home, and the collections of Lord Rotis, Sir Cuartes Lemon, and the Author, are severally 
indebted to him for many of the greatest rarities they contain. Although the important services rendered to science 
by the gallant Captain are now well-known and appreciated by the public, we cannot omit the present opportunity of 
expressing our own gratitude to him, for the favours which we have, on so many occasions, received at his hands,— 
favours which are not felt the less warmly, because bestowed upon a perfect stranger. 
The Vignette will, it is hoped, serve to convey some idea of the tangled luxuriance and dismal grandeur of the 
forest scenery of Tropical America. What rich and redundant vegetation! What an endless profusion of climbers 
and twiners, epiphytes and parasites, et id genus omne!! And, then, what a strange variety of animated beings!!! 
Here we have a serpent coiled round one tree,—there a monkey scrambling up another; in a still more elevated 
position, parroquets and the pendent purse-like nests of the orioles, or corn-birds, may be discerned ;—care must also 
be taken, lower down in the picture, not to overlook the cayman’s “awful head.” The happy pair in the 
foreground, although quite unacquainted with “these troublesome disguises which we wear,” betray, we fear, in other 
respects, a less primitive taste, as they evidently are not confining themselves to a vegetable diet. That Epidendrum 
on the trunk of the prostrate tree must be a fine thing, and we are only sorry to see the lady turn her back upon it. 
MAN MAY BE DEFINED TO BE‘ A COOKING ANIMAL.’”—Boswell. 
