66 ABSTRACTS OF LECTURES. 



Exotic orchids cultivated in our glass houses have to 

 undergo somewhat different treatment from that which they 

 experience at home. It is impossible to exactly imitate the 

 climatic conditions of their habitats, and long experience has 

 shewn that it is best for us to keep them growing in our dry 

 season — the summer — and flower them during the winter or 

 early spring months; 



The chief kind grown here are the Odontoglossums from 

 the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains. Of these there 

 are many beautiful species which are annually removed from 

 their native forest trees in hundreds of thousands and sent to 

 Europe. The Oncidiums, which are also American, being 

 found from Mexico to Brazil, are very like the Odontoglossums, 

 but will not cross with them. Masdevalias from the same 

 regions, as well as Cattleyas and Lelias from lower altitudes. 

 Cypripediums are general favourites. We have one native 

 species, and others very closely allied grow in the cooler 

 portions of North America. But most of the Cypripediums 

 are Old World plants, being found chiefly in Asia and not 

 west of India. They are represented in South America by 

 the Selenipediums, which are characterised among orchids by 

 having an imperfectly divided ovary. Dendrobiums from 

 India to Australia are very beautiful, and Calanthes, which 

 are both Old and New World plants, are terrestrials which 

 are deservedly admired. The Madagascar orchids of the 

 genus Fhaius, and Phalcsfiopsis from Eastern Asia, are very 

 beautiful. Much has been done in cross-fertilising orchids. 

 Bigeneric crosses are well known, and in one instance as 

 many as four genera have been combined in one plant. 



February 24th. — Lepidoptera Larvce. 



By. D. Rosie. 



The object of this lecture was to give a sketch of the 

 general life of the lepidopterous larva from the o-gg to the 

 pupa, touching on points of particular interest in the larval 

 economy, and illustrating the whole with a large number of 



