AN ARISTOCRATIC FAMILY. 69 



Ma}' and June furnish the largest number of showy and 

 beautiful species of orchids. In July the largest number 

 of species are at their best. Then blooms the queen of all, 

 the Show}' Ivady-slipper {Cypripediiim reghits), extremely 

 rare in the Merrimack valley, abundant in that of the 

 Connecticut river. Then, too, if ever, may be found the 

 still rarer Ram's-head I^ady-slipper {C. arictimivi^i This 

 also I have found but once, though I have searched the vi- 

 cinity of the station thoroughly many times since. Near- 

 ly a dozen species of Habenaria may be expected in this 

 month. At the same time when the late form of the larger 

 purple fringed orchid brings light and fragrance to the 

 dusky woods, the smaller flowered species (//. psychodes) 

 begins to bloom. This is similar to the former, but 

 the flowers are much smaller and the spike much clos- 

 er, and the fragrance of the blossoms is oppressively 

 heavy. The plants are usually more slender than in the 

 other species, but sometimes they are fully as large and 

 stout, with a spike six to eight inches long, very compact- 

 ly and numerously flowered. 



As to the White Fringed orchid {H. blephariglotiis) who 

 finds it in this vicinity will be a very lucky person. There 

 was once a station of it not far away. The "injudicious 

 and greedy collector, ' ' aided by the ignorant flower grab- 

 ber, has to all appearances completely exterminated the 

 species there. Yet very likely the lovely spikes of pure 

 white delicately fringed flowers are at this moment elabor- 

 ating fruit along the edges of quaking bog and tangled 

 swamp within a few miles of the city. The Ragged Orchid 

 {H. lacera), being more interesting than beautiful, and 

 having also superior adaptability to changes of environ- 

 ment, is comparatively abundant. The flowers are green- 

 ish yellow, or sometimes white, and the lip is beautifully 

 fringed with long, hair-like threads. This season almost 



