114 TROPICAL NATURE, AND OTHER ESSAYS. 



of which is generally zoned with red or yellow in a 

 highly ornamental manner. By means of this parachute 

 the animal can easily pass from one tree to another for 

 a distance of about thirty feet, descending at first, but as 

 it approaches its destination rising a little so as to reach 

 the tree with its head erect. They are very small, 

 being usually not more than two or three inches long 

 exclusive of the slender tail ; and when the wings are 

 expanded in the sunshine they more resemble some 

 strange insect than one of the reptile tribe. 



Snakes. Snakes are, fortunately, not so abundant or so 

 obtrusive as lizards, or the tropics would be scarcely 

 habitable. At first, indeed, the traveller is disposed to 

 wonder that he does not see more of them, but he will 

 soon find out that there are plenty ; and, if he is possessed 

 by the usual horror or dislike of them, he may think there 

 are too many. In the equatorial zone snakes are less 

 troublesome than in the drier parts of the tropics, although 

 they are probably more numerous and more varied. 

 This is because the country is naturally a vast forest, and 

 the snakes being all adapted to a forest life do not as a 

 rule frequent gardens and come into houses as in India 

 and Australia, where they are accustomed to open and 

 rocky places. One cannot traverse the forest, however, 

 without soon coming upon them. The slender green 

 whip-snakes glide among the bushes, and may often be 

 touched before they are seen. The ease and rapidity 

 with which these snakes pass through bushes, almost 

 without disturbing a leaf, is very curious. More 

 dangerous are the green vipers, which lie coiled 

 motionless upon foliage, where their colour renders it 

 difficult to see them. The writer has often come upon 



