14 



are used as horns by the natives, and are said to form a favourite 

 plaything for the children. At the base of the pseudo-bulbs is a 

 small hole, and taking advantage of this entrance, the large and 

 ferocious ants of the district make it their home, swarming out in 

 thousands when disturbed. 



LEAVES. With the exception of one beautiful group, there is 

 nothing of an especially remarkable character in the leaves of 

 orchids ; they are usually narrow and strap-like (Odontoglossum), 

 elliptical or oblong (Cattleya), with many intermediate forms, and 

 they vary greatly in the firmness of their substance, some being 

 almost as hard as leather, as in the last named genus, while 

 others are as soft as velvet, and of a most delicate texture. They 

 usually clasp the stem at their base, and have not a distinctly 

 marked stalk and blade as in the leaves of Dicotyledonous plants. 

 The exceptional group referred to comprises those exquisite gems, 

 the Anaectochilus and Goodyera, which in delicacy and beauty 

 of leaf colouration cannot be equalled in the whole vegetable world. 

 They are samples of Nature's most artistic work, and would excite 

 the admiration of all who can appreciate beauty of form or 

 colouring. The leaves are velvet-like in appearance, and have a 

 ground tint of light or dark green, ranging to deep bronze, and 

 upon this is traced an elegant network of silver or gold veins, 

 which contrasts charmingly with the rich ground colour. Anaec- 

 tochilus Lowii (also known as Dossinia or Macodes marmorata), 

 is a perfect gem, the rich green and bronze leaves being finely 

 veined with gold, and several others are scarcely less charming. 

 In some of the Phalaenopses, particularly in P. Schilleriana, the 

 foliage is also handsomely marbled, and the same occurs in the 

 Cypripediums, C. Hookerae and others being distinctly and beau- 

 tifully variegated, while in Phaius maculatus we have a green 

 leaf boldly spotted with white or yellow. 



ORCHID FLOWERS. 



IN Nature's laboratory many wonderful transmutations are 

 effected, beside which the supposed powers of the Philosopher's 

 Stone are insignificant, and the most fertile imagination could not 

 conceive anything more marvellous than is taking place around 

 us every day unnoticed. Who, for instance, that thoughtfully 

 observes the surprising beauty and curious structure of a Moth 

 Orchid (Phalaenopsis), growing probably upon a block of wood, 

 and gaining all its support from the moisture in the air or the 

 wood, can help wondering at the power which transforms such 



