88 



BIRDS AND FLOWERS. 



be remembered that the list of five hundred and forty 

 species at the end of this book is merely suggestive, 

 not exhaustive; but perhaps it may be regarded as 

 fairly representative. 



It is pleasant to know that, not only are our orchids 

 numerous as compared with the other flower families 

 of Concord, but that we have, for a cold, Northern 

 climate, a fair share of the number in the whole 

 world. According to Britton and Brown, the latest 

 and highest botanical authorities, about five thou- 

 sand species of orchids are known to exist. To say 

 that we have twentyfive of these or half of one per 

 cent, ought to make us feel as rich as if we possessed 

 a like share of the diamond fields of South Africa or 

 of the art treasures of Europe. 



It must not be supposed, however, that all our or- 

 chids are conspicuously beautiful. To those whose 

 sole idea of an orchid means the gorgeous air plants 

 with pink, crimson-flecked petals or white splashed 

 with lavender or yellow mingled with brown, seen in 

 the florists' windows of the big cities, some of our 

 small orchids like the coral-root, the rattlesnake plan- 

 tain, the twayblade or the ladies' tresses would seem 

 too insignificant to be the humblest of poor relations. 

 Yet to the student there is something fascinating 



