LOTUS BIRDS. 449 



which the natives appear to have no name. The 

 prairies abound in numberless gaily coloured but 

 scentless flowers; and I noticed that almost all 

 that have any perfume grow in the shade. Here 

 I found magnificent scarlet lilies, and others 

 bearing a blood-red bell-shaped flower, some of the 

 bulbs of which I brought to England, and gave to 

 Mr. Bull, the eminent horticulturist of Chelsea. 



In one patch of dense forest I came across a 

 beautiful small lake covered with water lilies having 

 large leaves resembling those of the Victoria 

 E.egi%a, and here I shot a couple of " lotus birds." 

 They are about the size- and colour of a water- 

 hen, but*have very long thin legs, and toes five 

 inches long, so that they can walk over the floating 

 leaves of aquatic plants whilst searching for the 

 water insects on which they live. 



After a march of several hours, we came to a 

 low range of hills, that appeared to be connected 

 with the Sierra del Crystal, and from the rising 

 ground we had a capital view of the surrounding 

 country, which still consisted of dense woods and 

 rolling prairie. 



2g 



