IS '
(liscovGred in tlie neighbourhood of Istiipa, by our imlefnligable friend MB. SKISUMI, wlio has thus gahied
the distmotion of making an important addition to one of tiie most extraordinary genera of this singular
tribe. "
We will now proceed to contrast the tivo rival swans. C. Loildigesii, perltaps, bears, on the whole,
the closest resemblance to its leathered prototype; for the column (answering to the neck of the bird) is
long and pleasingly curved, whereas that of C. ventricosum is lamentably short ; the sepals and petals too
(wings) of the former are tin-own wide open, which looks better than to have them throivii entirely back, as
is the case with the latter r in the body, however, C. ventricosum has decidedly the advantage, for notliing
could approach neater to the swelling bosom of a swan, than its pure milk-white hp ; the same part in
C. Lodiligesii being of a dingy colour, and much more bke the male Meloe beetle than the breast of the
most graceful of birds. If it were but possible to unite the sepals and petals and column of the one with
the lip of the other, we should then hiive a vegetable swan, as perfect in all its parts .Ts are the Hies and
bees with which the Orchises of Enghsh meadows present us.« Both species thlTuse a powerful odour i
that of the C. Loddigesii is agreeable, and resembles honey; th.it of C. ventricosum. on the contrary, is
somewhat acrid, especially when the flowers have begun to wane. Leaves are produced in greater abunilance
in the Surinam species than in the one from Guatemala. The capsule represented in the draiving adhered
to the plant on its arrival in this country, and a most intcresring relic it is, the huge size of the seedvessel
being scarcely less remarkable than the extreme minuteness of the seeds, with an innumer.ible
quantity of which it was at one time filled. This plant requh-es preeiselv the same treatment as Catasetum.
(vide Tab. II.)
We are indebted to Miss Jane Edwards for the very beautiful tbawing from which our plate is copied.
Tearing that the flowers of our new Cycnoches might prove too fleetmg to admit of their bemg sent to a
professional artist in London, we were extremely perplexed as to what course to pursue, when this yomig
lady was so kind as to relieve us from our embarrassment, by tendering the assistance of her admirable
pencil, which she used on this occasion ttitb even more than her wonted skill.
The \ïgnetle is taken from a specimen of Cycnoches ventricosum, preserved in the rich herbarium of
L,idyGrey of Groby, under whose " plastic hands " a suitable curve has been given to the neck of this
vegetable mummy, which has thus rendered its resemblance to a .swan quite obvious to the most hmited
capacity. In the same herbarium, other specimens of this "rare bird" are to be seen, which have every
appeorance of being on the »ring, an effect which is produced by merely throwing open the sep.ils and
petals of the flower.
of the t . U lu.ti. Uic tcHDiuiunce oi ti.e ivtiovo i ]i»]»;i;;ii;ttse so fi Cycno
to tlleir naturtil positiotl. ivhidi they hiive lost hy the
is neceisaty to reccr.e theit floweis; ihii. hoivever. merely r<
ne growing dommarji in«tead of ujmarilt.
i 1