INTRODUCTION. 13 



than a passing glance. Here is an intermin- 

 able array of buttressed trunks with hardly 

 a sign of life to the ordinary visitor. But 

 there are ants in myriads if nothing more, 

 and no one can say that these tiny creatures 

 are wanting in interest. Then come the 

 covered tunnels of the wood-ants or termites. 

 Now and again a transparent winged butter- 

 fly will flit ghost-like among the columns. 

 You see it for an instant and then it vanishes. 

 The seeing eye can sometimes distinguish 

 it on its perch but it is often quite invisible. 

 Then perhaps comes another which when it 

 spreads itself upon a trunk is in perfect 

 harmony with it. The woodland voices are 

 few, but Waterton could distinguish and 

 enjoy them. "Though retired from the 

 haunts of men, and even without a friend 

 with thee, thou would'st not find it 

 solitary. The crowing of the hannaquoi 

 will sound in thy ears like the daybreak 

 town-clock ; and the wren and the thrush 



