hides an anther attached to its under
face--the large terminal third lobe being in truth a barren rudiment of
a former stamen, and which now overarches the stigma. The relative
position of these parts may be seen in the under view.

[Illustration]

The anthers in this genus, then, are two, instead of the previous
single anther with its two pollen-cells. The pollen is also quite
different in its character, being here in the form of a pasty mass,
whose entire exposed surface, as the anther opens, is coated with a very
viscid gluten.

[Illustration: Fig. 16]

With the several figures illustrating the cross-fertilization, the
reader will readily anticipate any description of the process, and only
a brief commentary will be required in my text.

I have repeatedly examined the flowers of _C. acaule_ in their haunts,
have observed groups wherein every flower still retained its pollen,
others where one or both pollen masses had been withdrawn, and in
several instances associated with them I have observed the inflated lip
most outrageously bruised, torn, and battered, and occasionally
perforated by a large hole. I had observed these facts in boyhood. The
inference, of course, was that some insect had been guilty of the
mutilation; but not until I read Darwin's description of the
cross-fertilization of this species did I realize the full significance
of these telltale evidences of the escape of the imprisoned insect.
Since that time, many years ago, I have often sat long and patiently in
the haunt of the cypripedium awaiting a natural demonstration of its
cross-fertilization, but as yet no insect has rewarded my devotion.

[Illustration: Fig. 17]

At length, in hopelessness of reward by such means, I determined to see
the process by more prosaic methods. Gathering a cluster of the freshly
opened flowers, which still retained their pollen, I took them to my
studio. I then captured a bumblebee, and forcibly persuaded him to enact
the demonstration which I had so long waited for him peaceably to
fulfil. Taking him by the wings, I pushed him into the fissure by which
he is naturally supposed to enter without persuasion. He was soon within
the sac, and the inflexed wings of the margin had closed above him, as
shown in section, Fig. 17. He is now enclosed in a luminous prison, and
his buzzing protests are audible and his vehemence visible from the
outside of the sac. Let us suppose that he at length has become
reconciled to h