THE GREEN-TAILED SYLPH. 93 



face which, at certain seasons, is scorched 

 by the rays of the tropical sun. 



This is the season when no rain falls, 

 and every living thing is scorched and 

 blasted by the intolerable heat. 



But here and there grows a palm, that 

 is the blessing of the desert. While a 

 particle of moisture remains in the ground, 

 it collects round- the root of the tree, and 

 makes a little pool of water. 



At one time of the year even these 

 pools are dried up. 



The palm of which I am speaking is 

 called the Mauritia, or fan-palm, because 

 its leaves spread out in the shape of a fan. 



A tribe of Indians who live in these 

 plains, subsist almost entirely on the pro- 

 duce of the fan-palm. 



The meal-like substance contained in 

 the stem yields a nutritious article of 

 food, and is made into bread. The cone- 



