61 



their own pollen and very many of them are adapted to 

 the visitation of certain species of insects. It is because 

 tliis certain, necessary insect so often fails to appear that 

 many of the orchids are so very scarce. The corollas of 



c 



GREEN ORCHIS— SPHIXX MOTH 



all orchids are composed of six parts but at least one of 

 these is always peculiar in form; sometimes it is a large 

 irregular pouch, again it may be a platform for insects to 

 alight upon or it ma}' be a slender nectary tube. 



A common, but interesting species, that grows in many 

 bogs and swamps is the large Green Orchid of the genus 

 Habenaria. The lower jjetal retreats into a slender tube 

 about an inch in length, this tube being a reservoir for 

 nectar with which to reward the proper insect visitor. 

 The tube is much too long and too slender for any of the 

 bees to reach the sweets and the color is not an attractive 



