60 OI'HRE.Ii:. CnAP. II, 



easily pushed away, and answers to the pouch in 

 Orchis. The whole upper part of the helmet answers 

 to the minute oval bit of membrane to which the 

 cauclicle of Orchis is attached and which in Ophrys 

 is larger and convex. When the lower jiart of the 

 helmet is moved by any pointed object, the point 

 readily slips into its hollow base, and is there held so 

 firmly by the viscid matter, that the whole helmet 

 appears adapted to stick to some prominent part of an 

 insect's body. The caudicle is short and very elastic ; 

 it is attached not to the apex of the helmet, but to the 

 hinder end ; if it had been attached to the apex, the 

 point of attachment would have been ft-eely exj)osed to 

 the air and not kept damp ; and then the i^ollinium 

 when removed from its cell v.ould not have been 

 quickly depressed. 



This movement is well marked, and serves to bring 

 the end of the pollen-mass into a proper j^osition for 

 striking the stigma. The two viscid discs stand wide 

 apart. There are two transverse stigmatic surfaces, 

 meeting by their points in the middle ; but the broad 

 part of each lies directly beneath each disc. The 

 labellum is remarkable from not differing much in 

 shape from the two upper petals, and from not always 

 occupying the same position in reference to the axis 

 of the plant, owing to the ovarium being more or less 

 twisted. This state of the labellum is intelligible, for 

 as we shall see, it does not serve as a landing-place for 

 insects. It is upturned, and together with the two 

 other petals makes the whole flower in some degree 

 tubular. At its base there is a hollow so deep as 

 almost to deserve to be called a nectary ; but I could 

 not perceive any nectar, which, as I believe, remains 

 enclosed in the intercellular spaces. The flowers are 

 very small and inconspicuous, but emit a strong honey- 



