NATURE NOTES FROM ACADIA

CONCERNING ORCHIDS

We came upon it along the margin of the Tarn - a flower aristocrat, the Tall Purple Fringed Orchid. Noblest of all the fringed orchids, this species, Habenaria grandiflora, has been known to grow five feet high, although three feet is close to the average height. The delicate lavender flowers with their beautiful fringed lips fluttered in the breeze which rippled the surface of the Tarn, and as we gathered close about this floral gem the fragrance of its blooms was borne to us. Round about it were arched the fronds of tall-growing ferns which grew luxuriantly in this shaded retreat, while overhead a red-eyed vireo, the preacher of the woods, kept up his questions and answers. All these and others made up the habitat wherein our flower-prize grew. No one asked, "May I pick it to take home?", for all seemed to know that its home was here with the tall graceful ferns and with the vireo. To find such a gem was reward enough. What folly it would have been to pick it and to watch it die slowly on our hands!

The Tall Purple Fringed Orchid is not exceedingly scarce on Mount Desert Island. In fact, as far as orchids go, it is a fairly common flower. But how few are its numbers as compared to what they might be on an island which furnishes so many ideal conditions for its growth! Luckily this flower is sometimes overlooked by vandals who mistake it for the abundant fireweed, but all too frequently it is pulled up and soon forgotten. Like its cousins, the lady-slipper orchids, it dies in some unattractive vase with others of its kind - no longer beautiful. Just because it is more rare and more lovely than the ferns with which it grew and because it is so much more approachable than the vireo, the orchid, like other lovely things in nature, pays the penalty of being too beautiful. Few acts of vandalism are more disgusting to him who truly loves the wild things than this eareless picking of rare flowers.

Some states protect their disappearing wildflowers by laws. This is a step in the right direction. But is it not better to protect them with understanding? When you pick an orchid you kill more than just the one lovely bloom - you forever destroy whatever chance it has to form its seed pods, ripen its seeds, and later give birth to others of its kind. That should give one something to think about. Love them - but leave them where they are.

- Ranger Naturalist

The Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) which is one of the most poisonous of mushrooms, has been found a number of times and seems to be common. The center of the white or yellow spotted cap is orange-red in color fading to yellowish toward the outer edge. Its warning signals are the basal cup and the ring on the stem.

One edible mushroom, the Nut-brown Collybia (Collybia dryophila) has been found rather frequently in mixed forests. Certain species of Russula and Boletus are common but these are seldom found in perfect condition since slugs, various insects, and some of the smaller rodents seem to feed upon them soon after they appear above ground.

In mid-June a party of four, guided by the Chief Ranger, visited the nest of the Bald Eagle which overlooks Frenchman's Bay in the southeast corner of Mount Desert Island. Upon climbing into the crown of a nearby tree an excellent view of the large nest containing a lone young occupant was had. The white-headed adult flew over as we approached the nest but made no attempt to come close. The nestling, almost fully fledged, appeared quite undisturbed by our espionage.

No remains of food of any kind could be seen in the nest. On the ground below, however, the skull of one crow and the skull, body bones, and wing feathers of one Herring Gull were found. The nest, made up of dead tree-limbs of varying length and diameter, is saddled in a tall red oak about 50 feet from the ground. So heavily wooded is the immediate vicinity that one unacquainted with the exact location of the structure would have more or less difficulty in finding it.