blossom Hosts and Insect Guests 



over which the insect flutters indiscriminately, the 

 approach is oftenest made obHquely, and thus the 

 tongue brushes the disk on the side approached, and 

 the pollen mass is withdrawn. But an examination 



of this orchid affords no 

 pronounced evidence of any 

 specific intention. There is 

 no unmistakable sign to de- 

 monstrate which approach 

 is preferred by the flower, 

 and this dependence on the 

 insect's tongue or eye would 

 seem to be left to chance. 

 In another kindred species, however, we have a 

 distinct provision which insures the proper approach 

 of the tongue — one of many similar devices by 

 which the tongue is conducted directly to one or 

 other of the pollen disks. 



THE RAGGED ORCHID 



This is the ragged orchid, H. lac era, a blos- 

 som far less fortunate in its attributes of beauty than 

 the foregoing member of the family ; its long, scat- 

 tered spike of greenish white flowers being so in- 

 conspicuous in its grassy haunt as often to conceal 

 the fact of its frequency. The initial illustra- 

 tion represents a group of these blossoms and an 



136 



