36 THE ORCHIDS OF NEW ENGLAND. 
Smaller bees and flies which are too large to pass freely 
through the orifice and too weak to force their sides apart, 
must as a rule perish of hunger within the labellum. Small 
beetles are often able to crawl freely out, but sometimes they 
are held fast by the sticky pollen and remain to perish.” 
A valuable contribution to the study of our Lady’s Slippers 
has been sent me by Professor Trelease of the University of 
Wisconsin, who writes: “In C. pubescens, parvifiorum, and can- 
didum (a small white species not found in New England) there 
is a variable number (1-4) of crescent-shaped or irregular trans- 
lucent spots on the back of the labellum, which readily catch 
the eye of an imprisoned bee (alicta, Augochlora), and lead in 
back under the stigma, whence it sees the light through the 
small opening under the anther at either side, and makes its 
exit there. Small bees introduced into the labellum usually 
went direct to these thin places; failing to get out there they 
went on to its regular exit openings. The labellum is so trans- 
jucent throughout in all my herbarium specimens of C. avie- 
tinum, spectabile and acaule, that I cannot say whether these 
species have the same character; a number of conservatory 
species that I have observed, do not.” — 
C. pubescens has what Burroughs calls “a heavy, oily odor,” 
and is less pleasing than the Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper, C. 
parviforum, opening about this time in swampy places. This 
species, though rarer, is more widely diffused throughout North 
America, according to Sir Joseph Hooker, who adds to his de- 
scription of C. pudescens, without giving his authority, the 
statement that “its rhizome or root-stock replaces the Valerian 
as an anti-spasmodic, in the estimation of Anglo-Americans.” 
Some hesitate to call the Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper a dis- 
tinct species, but its dwarf size, richer color, curiously twisted 
petals and decided perfume easily gain it the precedence in 
favor with those who care for externals only. The lip is 
smoother on the outside and flatter above than that of the 
