62 WILD FLOWERS. 



two or three species of the orchis plant, which 

 certainly much resemble the insects from which 

 they are named, Tliese are the bee, the fly, 

 and the spider orchises. The latter, however, 

 is so similar to the bee orchis, that many writers 

 consider it merely a variety of the same plant. 



The bee-orchis {Ophi-ys apifevd) is abundant 

 on some chalky and clayey soils, yet is so con- 

 fined to peculiar spots, that it can hardly be 

 called a common wild flower ; in Scotland it is 

 almost unknown. In many parts of Kent and 

 the Isle of Wight, it flourishes in profusion. 

 The blossom is nearly as large as an humble- 

 bee, and so like that insect in form and colour, 

 that it might mislead the passer-by into the 

 belief that a bee was hovering on its stem. It 

 never deceives the bee himself, for, on a warm 

 day of June or July, a number of these busy 

 creatures settle upon it, and rob its nectary of 

 the sweet juice which it contains in abundance. 

 The fly-orchis, too, (^Ojo/oys muscifera,) grows 

 on similar spots, and as nearly resembles the fly 

 as this does the bee. 



The resemblance of insects is far more 

 striking in the orchideous plants of tropical 

 coantries. One species, the butterfly- orchis, 

 {Oncidium papilio,) is so similar t j our tortoise- 

 shell butterfly, as continually to deceive the eye 

 of the traveller. There is something so remark- 

 able in these resemblances that the lovers of 

 flowers usually feel much interested in the orchis 

 tribe, and many exotic orchises liave been of late 

 years introduced into this country. 



