THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 33 \ 



about two inches high, like the edge of a sieve or a 

 large tray. On the under side they are reddish, and 

 divided into a great number of compartments by the 

 veins, which project, leaving between them triangu- 

 lar or quadrangular spaces, each filled with a certain 

 quantity of air by means of which the leaves are sup- 

 ported on the surface of the water. And so well do 

 they serve this purpose, that birds and insects of all 

 sizes may be seen walking upon these leaves or pur- 

 suing their prey across them as if they were on a sol- 

 id surface. 



Scomburgk, who discovered this flower in Brit- 

 ish Guiana independently of the traveller to whom 

 we referred at the commencement of this chapter, 

 lingers with pleasure over the description of this beau- 

 tiful plant. The calyx consists of four leaves of a 

 brownish red outside and white inside, each six or 

 seven inches long and three inches wide. From these 

 leaves of the calyx a considerable number of petals 

 spread out in a circular and symmetrical form. These 

 are white at first but become darker first at the centre 

 and gradually turn to the color of the carnation. In 

 many respects it is very like our water-lily. The 

 petals, which are more than a hundred in number, 

 gradually assume the form of stamens as they approach 

 the central receptacle, which is fleshy, and bears 

 large and farinaceous seeds on the surface. 



Our indigenous water-lily presents, in respect to 

 size, an appearance as worthy of attention as its exotic 

 relative. It is in its way as richly-furnished with 

 floral beauty as the Victoria. About seven o'clock in 



