94 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



White Helleborines (both Cephe- The first time I ever found " this 



lanthera grandi flora and C. ensifolia) bastard and unkindly Satyrion " was 



are now in flower, and they are a great in Quarles's pinney, where the true 



ornament to the places where they oxlip grows. 



grow. The more slender and delicate- But while many of our English 



looking species (C. ensifolia), with orchids love the shade and shelter of 



narrow leaves and pure white flowers, the woods, and others, including 



is a rare plant in Hampshire, but may several rare and highly interesting 



be found in one or two interesting species, are only to be found but 



localities associated with the names later on in the season in wet meadows 



of Izaak Walton and of Gilbert White, and spongy bogs, the open chalk 



The strange - looking Bird's - Nest downs are the favourite haunt of other 



Orchis (Neottia nidus-avis), has also a species. Many of the choicest kinds, 



partiality for beech- woods, and though with flowers of the most singular form, 



seldom met with except sparingly, are down-loving plants. Such, among 



cannot be called a rare plant. Its others, are the Fly Orchis, " in shape 



name, which is older than Gerarde's like unto Flies, of a dark greenish 



Herbal, refers to its curiously matted colour, even almost blacke," the Bee 



roots, " which resembleth a crow's Orchis " resembling in shape the dead 



nest made of sticks : from which carkasse of a Bee," the Spider Orchis, 



riseth up a thicke, soft, grosse stalk the Frog Orchis, and the Lizard 



of a browne colour, set with small plants, as old Gerarde says, "of no 



short leaves of the colour of a dry oken great use in physicke, but chiefly re- 



leafe that hath lien under the tree all garded for the strange and beautiful 



the winter long." This singular spe- floures wherewith Nature hath seemed 



cies, resembling some of the broom- to play and disport her selfe." Some 



rapes, is regarded by the old writers of them, it is true, are so rare that the 



as a " degenerat kind of orchis," and ordinary " searcher after simples " has 



is spoken of as "a very rare plant." little chance of ever finding a specimen. 



Ray calls it the "Misshapen orchis," He would indeed be a fortunate botanist 



and adds " I never observed many of who came across in Suffolk or Kent the 



them together in one place." It is one Lizard Orchis, or even the Green- 



of the three species noted by White, man Orchis (Acer as anthropophora) 



and is still to be seen at Selborne. " resembling a little man having an 



