BEAUTIFUL UGANDA 127 



"Some of the forest trees of Uganda ofifer magnificent displays 

 of flowers. There is one, the Spathodea. with crimson-scarlet flowers 

 larger than a breakfast cup and not very dissimilar in shape. These 

 flowers grow in bunches like large bouquets, and when in full blossom 

 one of these trees aflame with red light is a magnificent spectacle. 

 Other trees present at certain seasons of the year a uniform mass of, 

 lilac- white flowerets, as though they had been powdered from above 

 with a lavender-colored snow. 



"The india-rubber trees and lianas have white flowers, large 

 and small, with yellow centers exhaling a delicious scent like jas- 

 mine, but the blossom of one of these rubber trees is vivid scarlet. 

 The Lonchocarpus trees have flowers in color and shape like the Wis- 

 taria; from the branches of the lofty eriodendrons depend, on thread- 

 like stalks, huge dull crimson flowers composed of innumerable 

 stamens surrounded by thick carmine petals. The Erythrina trees 

 on the edge of the forest seldom bear leaves and flowers at the same 

 time. When in a leafless state they break out into a crimson-scarlet 

 efflorescence of dazzling beauty. The Pterocarpus trees have large 

 flowers of sulphur-yellow. 



"Many creepers have blossoms of orange, of greenish-white, 

 pink, and mauve. Some trees or creepers (Combretum racemosum) 

 are like the Bougainvillia, throwing out wreaths and veils and cas- 

 cades of the most exquisite mauve or red-violet, where the color is 

 given by bracts, the flower itself being crimson and of small size. 



"Blue alone appears to be missing from this gamut of color in 

 the forest flowers, though it is frequently present among herbaceous 

 shrubs or plants growing close to the ground, and, so far as the 

 trees are concerned, is often supplied by the beautiful species of 

 turaco that particularly affect the forest, and by large high-flying 

 butterflies. 



"Whatever may be the case in the Congo basin, where the 

 forests often appear sadly lifeless, the woodlands of Uganda are full 

 of color and noise from the birds, beasts, and insects frequenting 

 them. Monkeys are singularly bold and frequently show themselves. 

 There is the black-white colobus with the long plume-tail which 

 has been already described; there is a large greenish-black Cerco- 



