256 Lake Maxinkuckce, Physical and Biological Survey 



find, as many have found, in the first peeping out of the ground of 

 this first prophet of spring a sense of delighted surprise. Let those 

 who choose be simply reminded of skunks, but to those who will it 

 otherwise there comes a message of new-born spring, and memories 

 of an ancient tale ; when the rough and boisterous winds of March 

 play their wild flute music on dead sedge stems, or pipe their shrill 

 strains among the tall ghosts of last year's reeds, we can find 

 these Midas' Ears pricked up intent and expectant, to the music of 

 beloved Pan. 



The individual plants bear several blossoms, so that the flower- 

 ing season extends almost into June, making the season much 

 longer than that of most of our plants. The blossoms vary 

 greatly from diminutive deep purple spathes through greenish 

 more or less pied and striped with lurid splotches of red, much re- 

 sembling a seek-no-further apple, to a bright, clear greenish yellow. 

 The hoods vary greatly in shape from short to those with exceed- 

 ingly long projecting peaks. The flowers, if not close fertilized, are 

 probably cross-fertilized by the bugs and spiders that take shelter 

 within them and crawl among them. 



The fruit is a peculiar head containing large globular seeds em- 

 bedded in spongy tissue. It is to be found during the latter part 

 of summer. 



At the market in Washington, D. C, among the negroes' stalls, 

 these plants are frequently found for sale during their blossoming 

 season as "swamp lilies" and we have heard that they were at one 

 time on sale in the New York markets as "rare orchids from the 

 Philippines." 



173. SWEET FLAG; CALAMUS-ROOT 



ACORUS CALAMUS L. 



Not common ; a few plants along shore near Chadwick's, one 

 east of Lakeview Hotel, and a few near the grist-mill. The plants 

 were up well, the spadices showing by April 23, 1901, and it was 

 in full blossom by June 2. The flower cluster, a green inconspicu- 

 ous object, projecting laterally from what closely resembles an 

 ordinary leaf, is a curious object. The pungent aromatic rootstock 

 is in good repute as a stomachic. 



Family 18. Lemnace^. Duckweed Family 

 174. greater duckweed 



SPIRODELA POLYRHIZA (L.) Schleid. 



Abundant in the neighborhood of Norris Inlet, forming, with 

 other duckweeds, an extensive scum over the surface. It was also 



