STORY OF CYPRIPEDIUM SPICERIANUM 219 



allow, in the fading light he traced a yellow glimmer among 

 the leaves. Through his field-glass, at twenty yards' distance, 

 he scrutinised this faint shadow. The tiger grew impatient 

 —softly it raised its head — so softly behind that screen of 

 ferns that a casual wayfarer would not have noticed it. But 

 it was the hint Forstermann needed. With a prayer he took 

 aim, fired — threw down his rifle and snatched the gun. But 

 crash — stone-dead fell the tiger, and its skin is a hearthrug 

 on which I stood to hear this tale. 



So on March 9, 1884, 40,000 plants of Cypripedium 

 Spicerianum were offered at Stevens' Auction Rooms. 



