COOL ORCHIDS. 89 
marvel it will unfold, this superb flower often de- 
mands nine months to perfect itself. Dr. Wallace 
told me of an instance in his collection where 
eighteen months elapsed from the appearance of 
the spike until the opening of the first bloom. 
But it lasts a time proportionate. 
Nature forestalled the dreams of zsthetic colour- 
ists when she designed Onxcidium macranthum. 
Thus, and not otherwise, would the thoughtful of 
them arrange a “harmony” in gold and bronze; 
but Nature, with characteristic indifference to the 
fancies of mankind, hid her chef-d’wuvre in the 
wilds of Ecuador. Hardly less striking, however, 
though perhaps less beautiful, are its sisters of the 
“‘small-lipped ” species—Onc. serratum, O. super- 
biens, and O. sculptum. ‘This last is rarely seen. 
As with others of its class, the spike grows very 
long, twelve feet perhaps, if it were allowed to 
stretch. The flowers are small comparatively, 
clear bronze-brown, highly polished, so closely and 
daintily frilled round the edges that a fairy goffer- 
ing-iron could not give more regular effects, and 
outlined by a narrow band of gold. Onc. serratum 
has a much larger bloom, but less compact, rather 
fly-away indeed, its sepals widening gracefully from 
a narrow neck. Excessively curious is the dis- 
position of the petals, which close their tips to form 
