4, Brief Account of Mr. Colley's 



&c. &c. They are by no means scattered in every direction, or 

 on every tree ; but appear very capricious in their choice of 

 situation. A river may be ascended for twenty miles without an 

 orchideous plant being seen ; while, on a sudden turn of the 

 stream, every tree becomes covered with them : yet they do not 

 appear to have a favourite aspect ; for, on some of the rivers 

 which Mr. Colley visited, he found them exclusively on the 

 northern exposure, while, on others, they occupied the southern. 

 The situations in which they are most usually found are those 

 parts of a forest where old and broken wood occurs, or on the 

 skirts of the savannas. These savannas are large open breaks 

 in the woods, covered with fine white sand, which has, at night, 

 the appearance of snow. They contain, also, many low and 

 stunted bushes. The Orchideae seem to like an airy and ex- 

 posed dwelling-place ; being found on the more prominent parts 

 of a tree, and not in the shade, as is generally supposed. Mr. 

 Colley only found in one instance an orchideous plant in the 

 heart of a forest; and this was growing on the prostrate trunk 

 of a tree, so rotten as to fall to pieces when pressed with the 

 foot. This plant is expected to prove of an entirely new genus. 

 In the large river Berbice, the Orchideae were seen seated on 

 the summits of such high trees that it was necessary, in order to 

 get possession of them, to cut down the trees on which they grew. 

 What would be thought, in this island, if a person were to cut 

 down a tree to bring him within reach of a weed? for in no 

 other light are these glorious plants regarded abroad, which 

 here actually sell for five, ten, or even fifteen guineas apiece. It 

 may be asked, " Why not climb the trees ? " This is quite out 

 of the question ; for they swarm to such a degree with the 

 great black ants, scorpions, and snakes, that nothing would in- 

 duce even an Indian to venture to ascend them. The plants 

 themselves, when torn from the tree, require very dainty finger- 

 ing, being frequently made the lurking-place of some scorpion, 

 or of a nest of these fiery ants. The best way is to plunge them 

 instantly into water, which either drowns or ejects all these dan- 

 gerous lodgers. 



In consequence of the unexampled length of the dry season at 

 the time of Mr. CoUey's visit, scarcely an orchideous plant was 

 seen in flower, or a pseudo-bulb which had not lost its leaves. 

 When, however, the rains had commenced, which was just 

 before he quitted the colony (i, e., in the month of July), the 

 Orchideae were pushing rapidly into flower, as are also some of 

 those collected by Mr. Colley, which reached this country in as 

 dry and shrivelled a state as Dutch bulbs usually come over in. 

 This may afford a hint for their cultivation. 



While speaking of their cultivation, I must not forget to men- 

 tion that many, particularly of the larger species, of the Or- 



