zigzagging closer. As the light strengthened, Oversluys watched with
growing pleasure. Very soon the deer noticed this intrusion and ceased
feeding; then the ox dropped its head and grazed. Again and again this
occurred. So long as one deer remained upon the watch it kept its head
down, but when the last recovered confidence, instantly it advanced.
Pablo's old gun could not be trusted beyond fifty yards or so. The deer
became more restless. They drew together--Oversluys saw they would bound
off in a moment. Just then the ox wheeled actively--they flew. But one
rolled over, shot through the chest.

Oversluys was so pleasantly excited that he ran to pat the clever
creature. Then he assisted Pablo to load up the game. It was broad
daylight now. In lifting the body he noticed some large yellow flowers
which it had crushed in falling. They were pretty and curious in shape. He
glanced at the leaves--they were large, polished, and very stiff. A wild
fancy struck him. He compared the drawing. There was no doubt! Scores of
Oncidium splendidum starred the tall grass all around!

I do not try to paint his raptures. A few weeks later many thousand plants
were on their way to Europe. But the point of the story is that Mr.
Oversluys had seen and even admired this flower many a time on the upland
savannahs in riding past. He was looking for orchids, however, and who
could have expected to find an Oncidium buried among herbage in the open
ground?

The ox demands a word. Such trained animals are not uncommon in Central
America. The process of education is very cruel. By constant tapping,
their horns are loosened when young, so that the tortured beast obeys the
slightest pressure. Its movements in walking are thus directed, and when
the horns grow firm again it continues to recognise a touch. But the
degrees of intelligence in brutes are strikingly displayed here. Some
forget the lesson in a twelvemonth. Most are uncertain. A very few, like
Pablo's, understand so well what is required of them that direction is
needless. In that case the hunter can walk backwards, keeping his body
quite concealed. He is almost sure to kill, unless the fault be his own.

LAELIA JONGHEANA

The back wall carries a broad sloping ledge of tufa, where little chips of
Odontoglossum and the rest are planted out to grow until they become large
enough to be potted--no long time, for they gather strength fast in niches
of the porous stone. Along the t