164 



From the appearance however of the twigs on which it is brought, and 

 from the accounts given by a collector it appears to grow upon the outer 

 branches of trees situated in damp districts, some of the plants 

 being on twigs not more than a quarter of an inch in diameter. Last year 

 we tried it, tied tightly to such branches as I have just described and left 

 it fully exposed, to take care of itself. It has done fairly well and 

 continued to produce its single flowers during the greater part of the year. 

 Ovir garden however evidently is not damp enough, for the plants put on 

 a shrivelled appearance. On the other hand it is found to be extremely 

 impatient to an excess of moisture. If some orchid fanciers could see this 

 little beauty, as now on the table before me, a single plant with twelve 

 blooms regularly spread out in the shape of a fan, exactly 4J inches in 

 diameter, they would I feel sure, not rest satisfied until they had placed it 

 in their collection. The plant apparently grows freely from seed as the 

 twigs of the trees on which it grows are covered with plants of all sizes, 

 from the mere speck, to the mature form 4J inches in diameter. 



This orchid must be placed with those difficult to cultivate, although it 

 is a highly desirable one from its rarity and beauty. 



189. -NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



No. 28. — Night Noises. 

 For sometime during the months of February and March there 

 had been noticed a peculiar weird sound proceeding from large trees 

 -in different parts of the Garden. Close observation of the localities 

 for a long time failed to show the origin or cause of it. 



The noise might be described as what would be expected from 

 the English or Barn Owl with a sore throat, or like the slow clapping 

 of the wings of some large bird. I directed my assistant and 

 others to endeavour to ascertain the cause of the noise, as many 

 of those who heard it attached no little superstition to its occurrence 

 in the vicinity of dwellings. 



Mr. Lunt shortly afterwards successfully detected the author 

 of the noise. Having heard the cry one evening on a large tree under 

 which he was passing, he sought out the direction from which it came 

 and observed a large bird which he took to be an owl. Leaving the 

 spot he procured a gun, returned, and shot the bird, which proved 

 to be on comparison a fellow to specimens in the Victoria Institute ol 

 Trinidad collected by Leotaud, which are deposited under the name 

 of Athene torqiiatus Daudin. It is called by French residents 

 Chouette a Collier from the markings of its neck. 



Leotaud in his Oiseaux de L'ile de Trinidad states as follows :— 



[Translation.] 

 Athene torquata without being common, is met with frequently. 

 It stays in buildings or in the midst of thick foliage, or in holes in 



