290 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. { December, 
nard’s account, the labellum might as well have no hinge, 
and the crest would do as well if it were a bright spot on the 
surface. 
The Rey. A. B. Hervey’ also takes it for granted that the 
pollinia are fastened to the under side of insects. 
When I first noticed the curiously hinged and crested 
labellum it occurred to me that Mr. Darwin would say that 
here was the place to look for an explanation of the flower,’ 
and I soon formed the theory which I succeeded in verify- 
ing. On relating my observations to Professor Trelease, I 
found that he had held the same view of the flower, and had 
corresponded with Dr. Hermann Miiller on the subject. At 
my request, Professor Trelease has furnished me with the 
following note: ‘Briefly, my idea of Calopogon was that 
the weight of the insect visitor must bend the labellum so as 
to bring the bee’s back against the column, thus enabling it 
to effect pollination—a view that Hermann Miiller wrote me 
was the only plausible one he could get from my sketches 
and notes: but it was never demonstrated in the field.” 
Calopogon is one of a few flowers which move the insect 
toward th@ stigma. In Pterostylis,” the labellum flies up 
elastically and imprisons the visitor in the upper part of the 
flower, and the insect strikes the stigma in escaping 
ei f nectar, 
is no expenditure in keeping up a supply © 
and the flower, although requiring a smooth insect of @ Cel 
tain size and weight, suffers nothing from the visits of those 
It can not utilize. ; 
hen, there is no delay caused by the insect waiting to 
suck, but, as soon as it lights, it is thrown down against be 
stigma. This occurs so quickly that, while standing with 
the bee itself, or by surrounding objects, he could not dto 
better spot than the place where the flower is adapte@ 7 
5 “* Wayside Flowers and Ferus,”’ 
®Under Mormodes i ss ili i 
8 ignea, © Fertilization of Orchids,’ 216, Mr. D 
poche me twelfth trial f ws in despair, The strange position of the 
retina Paoek id the column, ought to have shown me that here was the a rno 
paces, Thin pain went the notion that the labellum was thus pleco a 1 
derstand the structure of the rhe peat and for a long time I comple 
Loc. cit. 86, 
7 Darwin, loc. ci 
\ 
