5i8 



NATURE 



[February 15, 191 2 



NATURE STUDIED IN THE FORESTS OF 

 GUIANA.' 



M' 



R. RODWAY is known as the author of works 

 on history dealing with that part of the New 

 World where he has for some years resided. Whilst 

 he was working up historical facts, he was at the 

 same time making occasional excursions for the pur- 

 pose of studying the forest and its inhabitants. The 

 result is contained in this charming and readable book, 

 first published in 1894, and now as a new edition with 

 four new chapters and some new illustrations. 



-Kioiu "la ihc u 



The first chapter gives a general review of the 

 forest; then comes a pleasing description of the most 

 important inhabitant, the gentle Arawak Indian; a 

 new chapter in this edition devotes special attention 

 to the Indian as a hunter, and another to him as a 

 fisherman. Then follows an outline sketch of the 

 animals, with a new chapter on the insects. The next 

 chapter, on interdependence of plants and animals, 



1 " In the Guiana Forest." Studies of Nature in Relation to iheStruggle 

 for Life. By J. Rod way. New, revised and enlarged edition. Pp.326. 

 (London : T. Fisher Unwin, n.d.) Price 7^. W. net. 



NO. 2207, VOL. 88] 



io3 



serves to introduce plant-life, and the last half of '^< 

 book is given up mainly to considering the stru; 

 for life among plants. 



While this book is quite different in j>lan ; 

 Waterton's delightfully sentimental account of 

 " Wanderings " in the same region, and from 

 Thurn's "Among the Indians of Guiana," it app' 

 like the former, rather to the general reader thai 

 the student. 



The account of the Indian from his birth to r 

 hood is well told. His explanation of "beenas" 

 charms) seems more satisfactory than that of 

 Thurn. The latter writer considers only 

 pain suffered in using the charm, and si 

 gests that the custom was adopted with 

 idea of preparing to meet withoi 

 flinching any pain or danger that may 

 arise during the chase. That is no 

 doubt the effect, and it confirms the 

 Indian in the use of charms, but 

 is no explanation of the selection 

 beenas. Rodway points out that :.._ 

 leaves of Caladiums which are in use 

 as charms are of various shaf>es and 

 are mottled or spotted with red and 

 other colours; "to the Indian these shapes 

 and markings mean something ; they indi- 

 cate the special use of the plant. It is the 

 old doctrine of * signatures ' so well known 

 to the European herbalist, who once con- 

 sidered lungwort to be a remedy for diseases 

 of the lungs, because its leaves were spotted 

 like that organ." There is a special beena 

 for every game beast, bird, and large fish. 

 "That for the deer is one of the arrow- 

 shaped Caladiums with ruddy veins, and a 

 colour somewhat resembling the animal. 

 In this case the leaf with its pointed 

 lobes represents the facial outline an4 

 ears, while the colour is another part 

 of the signature." The tubers of these 

 plants contain an acrid juice which 

 the Indian rubs into gashes made in his 

 flesh with razor-grass. The stinging pain 

 caused by the juice and borne without 

 flinching signifies that the charm is power- 

 ful and is working, thereby ensuring success 

 in the hunt. 



It is a pity that the chapter on the 

 "senses of plants" was not omitted in this 

 edition. The author appears to think that 

 plants have three out of five senses, thai 

 thev suffer pain (p. 292), and that they can 

 be credited with the foresight to strive for 

 a particular object (p. 283). The word feel- 

 ing is used loosely to express touch, and 

 also a consciousness of touch. When the 

 roots of a plant absorb different quantities 

 of various materials, they are said to exer- 

 cise the senses of taste and smell, and tc 

 distinguish suitable from unsuitable food! 

 Schopenhauer somewhere remarks that con- 

 sciousness sleeps in the stone, dreams ir 

 the plant, and wakes up in the animal. Mr. 

 Rodway seems to go very much further, and to pu' 

 plants in the same class as animals. But m plant; 

 there are no differentiated organs, nor nervous system 

 When a root bends, the cells at the tip where th( 

 stimulus is received do not differ, except m being 

 younger, from those higher up along which th( 

 stimulus passes, nor from those where the respons* 

 is made and the bending takes place. It is scarcelj 

 scientific to apply to plants terms \yhich are proper!] 

 restricted to man and the higher animals. 



