SENSITIVE PLANTS. 237 



was figured and thus described, many years ago, in 

 the " Botanical Register." " Let the reader imagine 

 a green snake to be pressed flat, like a dried flower, 

 and then to have a row of toads, or some such 

 speckled reptiles, drawn up along the middle m 

 single file, their backs set up, their fore-legs sprawl- 

 ing right and left, and their mouths wide open, with 

 a large purple tongue wagging about convulsively, 

 and a pretty considerable approach will be gained 

 to an idea of this plant, which, if Pythagoras had 

 but known of it, would have rendered all arguments, 

 about the transmigration of souls superfluous." x This 

 orchid is a native of Sierra Leone. 



Mr. Darwin, writing in general terms, says, " Of 

 the many singular properties of orchids the irritability 

 of the labellum, in several distantly-allied forms, is 

 highly remarkable. When touched it is described 

 as quickly moving. This is the case with some of 

 the species of Bolbophyllum." 3 We have not, how- 

 ever, considered it well to multiply examples, since 

 to understand and appreciate them some special 

 knowledge of the structure and anatomy of orchid 

 flowers is essential. As our remarks on the spon- 

 taneous movements of plants are drawing to a close, 

 we may allude to the subject of a memoir by Pro- 



1 " Gardener's Chronicle," 1841, p. 348. 



2 Darwin, " Fertilization of Orchids," p. 172. 



