116 THE NATURALIST IN NICARAGUA. [Ch. VII. 



concealed itself amongst some leaves ; but the ant soon 

 discovered it, paralysed it with, a sting, and was run- 

 ning away with it, turned in, back downwards, beneath 

 itself, when I secured the hunter for my collection. All 

 these ants that hunt singly have the eyes well developed, 

 and thus differ greatly from the Ecitons, or army 

 ants. 



The road, continuing down the Artigua, crosses it 

 again, winds away from it, then comes again to its bank 

 at a beautifully rocky spot overhung by trees ; the banks 

 are there covered with plants and shrubs, and the rocks 

 with a great variety of ferns, whilst a babbling clear 

 brook conies down from the ranges to the right. Some 

 damp spots near the river are covered with a carpet of a 

 beautiful variegated, velvety-leaved plant (Cyrtodeira 

 chontalemix) with a flower like an achimenes, whilst the 

 dryer slopes bear melastomee and a great variety of 

 dwarf palms, amongst which the Sweetie (Geonoma sp.), 

 used for thatching houses, is the most abundant. 

 About here grows a species of cacao (Herrania purpurea) 

 differing from the cultivated species (Theobroma cacao). 

 Amongst the larger trees grows the " cortess," having a 

 wood as hard as ebony, and at the end of March entirely 

 covered with brilliant yellow flowers, unrelieved by any 

 green, the tree casting its leaves before flowering. The 

 great yellow domes may be distinguished amongst the 

 dark green forest at the distance of five or six miles ; 

 nearer at hand they are absolutely dazzling with their 

 foliage of gold, when the sun is shining on them ; 

 and when they shed their flowers, the ground below is 

 carpeted with yellow. Another valuable timber tree, the 

 "nispera" (Achras sapota), is also common, growing on 



