36 



THE ORCHIDS OF NEW ENGLAND. 



Smaller bees and flies which are too large to pass freely 

 through the orifice and too weak to force their sides apart, 

 must as a rule perish of hunger within the labellum. Small 

 beetles are often able to crawl freely out, but sometimes they 

 are held fast by the sticky pollen and remain to perish." 



A valuable contribution to the study of our Lady's Slippers 

 has been sent me by Professor Trelease of the University of 

 Wisconsin, who writes: "In C. pubescens, parvifloriun, and can- 

 didum (a small white species not found in New England) there 

 is a variable number (1-4) of crescent-shaped or irregular trans- 

 lucent spots on the back of the labellum, which readily catch 

 the eye of an imprisoned bee (Halicta, Augochlorci), and lead in 

 back under the stigma, whence it sees the light through the 

 small opening under the anther at either side, and makes its 

 exit there. Small bees introduced into the labellum usually 

 went direct to these thin places ; failing to get out there they 

 went on to its regular exit openings. The labellum is so trans- 

 lucent throughout in all my herbarium specimens of C. aric- 

 tinum, spcctabilc and acaiilc, that I cannot say whether these 

 species have the same character ; a number of conservatory 

 species that I have observed, do not." 



C. pubescens has what Burroughs calls " a heavy, oily odor," 

 and is less pleasing than the Small Yellow Lady's Slipper, C. 

 parviflorum, opening about this time in swampy places. This 

 species, though rarer, is more widely diffused throughout North 

 America, according to Sir Joseph Hooker, who adds to his de- 

 scription of C. pubescens, without giving his authority, the 

 statement that " its rhizome or root-stock replaces the Valerian 

 as an anti-spasmodic, in the estimation of Anglo-Americans." 

 Some hesitate to call the Small Yellow Lady's Slipper a dis- 

 tinct species, but its dwarf size, richer color, curiously twisted 

 petals and decided perfume easily gain it the precedence in 

 favor with those who care for externals only. The lip is 

 smoother on the outside and flatter above than that of the 



