HOT ORCHIDS. 139 
elata, the famous “ Spirito Santo,” flower of the 
Holy Ghost. The dullest soul who observes that 
white dove rising with wings half spread, as in the 
very act of taking flight, can understand the 
frenzy of the Spaniards when they came upon it. 
Rumours of Peruvian magnificence had just 
reached them at Panama—on the same day, 
perhaps—when this miraculous sign from heaven 
encouraged them to advance. The empire of the 
Incas did not fall a prey to that particular band of 
ruffians, nevertheless. Peristeria clata is so well 
known that I would not dwell upon it, but an odd 
little tale rises to my mind. The great collector 
Roezl was travelling homeward, in 1868, by 
Panama. The railway fare to Colon was sixty 
dollars at that time, and he grudged the money. 
Setting his wits to work, Roezl discovered that the 
company issued tickets from station to station at a 
very low price for the convenience of its employes. 
Taking advantage of this system, he crossed the 
isthmus for five dollars—such an advantage it is in 
travelling to be an old campaigner! At one of 
the intermediate stations he had to wait for his 
train, and rushed into the jungle of course. 
Peritsteria abounded in that steaming swamp, but 
the collector was on holiday. To his amazement, 
however, he found, side by side with it, a Masde- 
