ALONG THE STREAM 251 



tangle unpleasantly suggesting a lot of interwoven 

 serpents. Roots of the swamp bay run straight 

 over the mud while those of the magnolia, cassine, 

 bayberry, and some others twist and squirm into a 

 bewildering complex. Here and there irregularly 

 rounded knobs are thrust up and others are dis- 

 torted into loops. The roots of the Annonas often 

 rise well above the general surface of the swamp 

 and form the most curious growths imaginable. 

 They are sometimes locked in close embrace and 

 roll over and over as if engaged in a death struggle, 

 or again they may be turned into fantastic coils 

 and volutes which look like a lot of senseless wood 

 carving. Ficus aurea often grows on the higher 

 parts of the banks, though it does not reach a great 

 size in such unfavorable situations. The trees 

 usually stand elevated on their roots in quite the 

 same way as the mangroves, and when young they 

 have such a dainty appearance that they impress 

 one with the idea that they are afraid of wetting 

 their feet. 



Why should all these diversified roots seek the 

 surface and even project up into the air? They 

 certainly appear crowded and forced upward for 

 room. I at first thought this to be the case. 



