70 PARA. Chap. II. 



place where the whole forest glade formed a vast 

 fernery ; the ground was covered with terrestrial 

 species, and the tree trunks clothed with climbing 

 and epiph3rtous kinds. I saw no tree ferns in the 

 Para district ; they belong to hilly regions ; some 

 occur, however, on the Upper Amazons. 



Such were the principal features in the vegetation of 

 the wilderness ; but where were the flowers ? To our 

 great disappointment we saw none, or only such as 

 were insignificant in appearance. Orchids are very 

 rare in the dense forests of the low lands. I believe it 

 is now tolerably well ascertained that the majority of 

 forest trees in equatorial Brazil have small and incon- 

 spicuous flowers. Flower-frequenting insects are also 

 rare in the forest. Of course they would not be found 

 where their favourite food was wanting, but I always 

 noticed that even^^here flowers occurred in the forest, few 

 or no insects were seen upon them. In the open country 

 or campos of Santarem on the Lower Amazons, flower- 

 ing trees and bushes are more abundant, and there 

 a large number of floral insects are attracted. The forest 

 bees of South America belonging to the genera 

 Melipona and Euglossa are more frequently seen 

 feeding on the sweet sap which exudes from the trees, 

 or on the excrement of birds on leaves, than on flowers. 



We were disappointed also in not meeting with 

 any of the larger animals in the forest. There was 

 no tumultuous movement, or sound of life. We 

 did not see or hear monkeys, and no tapir or jaguar 

 crossed our path. Birds, also, appeared to be exceedingly 

 scarce. We heaxd, however, occasionally, the long- 



