92 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



the fertilization of the flowers with in the identification and nomenclature 



pollen brought by insects from a dis- of many species of this difficult Order, 



tinct plant, have been described, with and it is only in comparatively modern 



much fascination, in Darwin's classical times that some of them have been 



work on orchids. It is there shown clearly distinguished. Old Gerarde, 



that almost all our British species are " seeing there be many and sundry 



fertilized by insects, those with long sorts differing one from another," 



nectaries by Lepidoptera, and those thought good to divide them, in the 



with shorter ones by bees and flies ; most arbitrary manner, into five or 



while one species is dependent entirely six genera. Dr. Robert Turner, in 



upon wasps, so that " if wasps were to his herbal of 1664, makes no attempt 



become extinct, so probably would to distinguish the various kinds. Under 



the Epipactis latifolia." the description of what appears to be 



Of the large number of Orchidacese the Early Purple Orchis what he 

 scattered throughout the world only calls " Satyrion or Orchis " he adds, 

 forty-three species belong to \ Great " As there are many kinds of this 

 Britain. And of these, two species plant, so it hath many names. They 

 are found only in Ireland, one only in grow in pastures, meadows, and moist 

 Scotland, and one in the Channel places, as in Danmore Copse and Dan- 

 Islands ; others are confined to one or more Mead at Holshot in Hampshire." 

 two localities in England ; and others It is curious that in the lists of " rare 

 again, like the Lizard Orchis, the Red plants growing wild," arranged under 

 Helleborine, and the Lady's Slipper the different counties, which the great 

 have now become extremely rare. Dar- naturalist John Ray supplied for the 

 win considered Kent to be the most edition of Camden's Britannia pub- 

 favourable county for the Order, and lished in 1695, so few of the Orchi- 

 he mentions that within a mile of his dacese are mentioned. In the county 

 house at Down he had found thirteen of Kent four species only are noticed, 

 species. Hampshire can claim twenty- including "the Lizard-flower," which, 

 five, possibly twenty-seven ; and of adds Ray, " it hath not yet been my 

 these, seventeen may be found in my hap to meet with." In the catalogues 

 own parish of Droxford. for Surrey and Sussex, both counties 



There was, not unnaturally, much rich in orchids, no species are men- 

 confusion among our early botanists tioned. The catalogue for Essex, Ray's 



