THE ANIMALS OF THE FOREST. 109 



should always be studied in this connection. 

 Guiana is pre-eminently a land of forest and 

 stream, and it has followed that both animal 

 and vegetable kingdoms have been developed to 

 suit these conditions. Some are equally at home 

 on land, in the water, or on the trees, those that 

 cannot easily live in the flood being able to climb out 

 of its reach. Then we must also take into account 

 the kinds of food procurable. The interdependence 

 of one animal on another, and these again upon 

 the seeds of trees and even on flowers, is so close, 

 that we can hardly conceive of their existing 

 apart. Changes of environment in past ages 

 have undoubtedly caused the extinction of num- 

 berless species, and from the naturalist's point of 

 view it would no doubt be a great catastrophe 

 were the South American forest even partially 

 cleared. 



If the larger animals are wonderfully adapted to 

 their habitats, the insects are particularly con- 

 spicuous in the same way. We have seen that 

 game is, at least apparently, scarce, but we cannot 

 say the same of the smaller forms of life. Like 

 the plants, they are not only varied in species, but 

 exceedingly numerous from every point of view. 

 Here we find the most magnificent beetles, 

 moths, butterflies, and dragon-flies, exceedingly 



