A FEW NATIVE ORCHIDS 2 19 



affinity is faithful to a single species of insect, 

 which thus becomes the sole sponsor of the blos- 

 som, without whose association the orchid would 

 become extinct. A remarkable instance of this 

 special adaptation is seen in the great Angraecum 

 orchid of Madagascar, described by Darwin ; and 

 inasmuch as this species glorifies Darwin's faith 

 in the truth of his theory, and marks a notable 

 victory in the long battle for its supremacy, it af- 

 fords an inspiring theme for my closing para- 

 graphs. 



Among the host of sceptics and were they 

 not legion ? who met this evolutionary and rev- 

 olutionary theory with incredulity, not to say ridi- 

 cule or worse, was one who thus challenged its 

 author shortly after the appearance of his " Fer- 

 tilization of Orchids," addressing Darwin from 

 Madagascar substantially as follows: "Upon your 

 theory of evolution through natural selection all 

 the various contrasting structural features of the 

 orchids have direct reference to some insect which 

 shall best cross-fertilize them. If an orchid has a 

 nectary one inch long, an insect's tongue of equiv- 

 alent length is implied ; a nectary six inches in 

 length likewise implies a tongue six inches long. 

 What have you to say in regard to an orchid 

 which flourishes here in Madagascar possessing a 



