xvi CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE CHIEF NDTRITIVE PLANTS OF THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



Rice. — Aspects of Rice-Fields at Different Seasons. — The Rice-Fields of Ceylon. — Ladang 

 and Snwa Rice. — Rice in South Carolina. — The Rice-Bird. — Paddy. — Maize. — When first 

 broiifjht to Europe. — Appearance of the Plant. — Its Enormous Productiveness. — Freedom 

 from Disease. — Wide Extent of its Cultivation. — Benjamin Franklin's Account of Maize. — 

 Millet. — The Brciid-Fruit. — Its Taste. — Modes of Cookin<^. — The Banana and Plantain. — • 

 Their Great Productiveness. — The Saj^o Palm. — Manufacture of Sago. — Sago Bread.— 

 Cheap Living. — A Siesta and Starvation. — The Cassava. — Yams. — The Sweet Potato. 

 — Arrow Root. — The Taro Root. — Tropical Fruits. — The Chirimoya. — The Litchi. — The 

 Mangostecn. — The Mango. — The Durion. — Its Taste and Smell. — Large Fruit on Tall 

 Trees, Page 645 



CHAPTER VIL 



BrOAR — COFFEE — CHOCOLATE — COCA — SPICES. 



Sugar: Its Importance. — The Home of the Sugar-Cane. — Ancient Theories about Sugar. The 



Introduction of tlie Cane into Europe and America. — Characteristics of the Plant. — Mode of 



Cultivation. — Coffee: Its IIom»>. -Introduction into Egypt and Europe, and elsewhere. 



Present Coffee Countries. — Coffee Culture in Brazil.— Agassiz's Description of a Coffee 

 Estate.— The West Indies and Ceylon. — The Coffee-Plant. — Methods of Preparing the 

 Berries.— The Enemies of the Plant.— The Golunda.— The Coffee Bug. — The Coffee Moth. 



— Camo, or Chocolate: Its Culture and Preparation. — Coca: Description of the Plant. Mode 



of its Use. — Its EflTccts. — Indian superstitions connected with it. — Cinnamon: Known to the 

 Ancients.— Cinnamon in Ceylon.- Mode of Culture and Preparation. — General Account 



of this Spice —Nutmegs and Cloves.— Enormities of the Dutch Monopoly.— Pepper. 



Pimento. — Ginger, g^g 



CHAPTER VIIL 



INSECTS. 



Multitude of Tropical Insects.— Beetles.— Dragon Flies.— Leaf Moths.— The Leaf Butterfly.— 

 Fire YWcs— Insect PUvjnes: Mosquitoes.— Chigoes, or Jiggers.— The Filaria Medinensis.— 

 The B("te Rouge.— Ticks.— Land-Leeches.— The Tsetse Fly.— The Tsalt-Salya Locusts.— 

 Cockroaches.— Enemies of the Cockroach.— t^s^/u/ Insects: The Silk- Worm.— The Cochineal 

 Insect.— The Gum-Lac Insect.— Edible and Ornamental Beetles, 581 



CHAPTER IX. 



ANTS— TERMITES— ANT-EATERS— SPIDERS — SCORPIONS. 



Ants: Vast Numbers of Ants in tlie Tropical World.— Pain caused by their Bites.— The Ponera 

 Clavata — The Black Fire-Ant.— The Dimiya of Ceylon.— The Red Ant of Angola.— The 

 Vivagua of the West Indies.— Tlie Umbrella Ant.— Household Plagues.— Troubles of Natu- 

 ralists.— The Ranger Ants.— The Bashikouay of Western Africa.— House-Building Ants. 

 — Slavehol.ling Ants.-Aphides, or Plant-Lice.— Insect Cow-Keepers.— rerm/tes;* Their 

 Ravages among Books and Furniture.— Their Citadels.-Domestic Economy.— Defensive 

 Warfare.-American Termites.— The Enemies of the Termites.— How to Catch, Cook and 

 Eat them.-The .Marching TQrmxiQ.-Ant.Eaters : The Great Ant-Bear.-His Mode of 

 Hunt.ng.-Mode of Dofense.-Anatomical Structure.- Les.ser Ant-Bears.— Manides and 

 Pangolins.-The Aard-Vark.-Armadillos.-The Porcupine Ant-Y.^Xov.— Spiders- Their 

 Physical Structurc.-Their Webs.-Means of Protection.-Mode of Catchin- their Prev- 

 Matornal Instinct.-Their Enemies.-Uses of Spiders.-5cor;,/<,ns; Their Aspects and 



IlabUs.- Iheir \enom, .„. 



694 



CHAPTER X. 



8ERPENTS—LIZAR»9— FROGS AND TOADS. 



Serpents: J\nr\ty of Venomous Serpents.-Habits and E.vternal Characteristics of Serpent. - 

 The I.-xbarn.-The Trigonocephalus.-Antidotes to the Poison of Serpents. -Sucking out 



