A LABRADOR SPRING 



of foliage, but noticeable by its red and green 

 stems, began to thrust out its opposite, pointed 

 leaf-buds, canoe birch leaves were half out, 

 the fiddle-heads were unfolding, and, like 

 magic, groups of tiny orchids had sprung into 

 being. This orchid, a calypso, with its broad, 

 rounded leaf rose two or three inches from the 

 moss, each plant bearing a single flower, 

 a five rayed one, between pink and purple 

 in colour, with a brilliant gold spot on the 

 delicately veined lip. One is apt to associate 

 orchids with tropical or at least warm climates 

 only, but this little orchid extends its range 

 from Labrador to Alaska. Near where I first 

 found this orchid on Esquimaux Island, there 

 were numerous arrivals among the birds, for the 

 night before had been a favourable one for 

 migration, and small birds that feed by day 

 must of necessity use the night for migration. 

 The association of orchids, spruce forests, 

 snowbanks, magnolia warblers and redstarts 

 certainly seemed an unusual one, and I satis- 

 fied my enjoyment of the incongruous by 

 following a redstart until his brilliant red and 

 black plumage was set off by a background 

 of dark spruces and white snow. 



21 



