112 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



hardly think of them in any other light than as 

 provided specially for the purpose. Then there 

 are less elaborate contrivances, the most perfect of 

 which is that of the Coryanthes, which, unlike 

 many other orchids, lets its aerial roots grow into 

 an oval ball where ants can easily take up their 

 abode and fill in the lattice-like spaces to make a 

 perfectly safe habitation and barracks. Other 

 epiphytes provide more or less perfect mats of 

 roots in which ants also make their homes, and 

 sally out in defence if the plant is disturbed. 

 Heaps of fallen leaves, matted stems of creepers, 

 or any collection of debris at the forking of tree 

 branches are also utilised by these interesting 

 creatures. Whether they ever sleep is doubtful 

 they crawl into our hammocks at night, and drop 

 upon us as we brush past the hanging bush-ropes 

 by day. Some, as we have seen, combine for a 

 special object ; others appear to work inde- 

 pendently. Hardly a trunk, branch, leaf, or 

 flower, is free from them. They vary in colour 

 from bright red, through brown to jet black, and 

 in size from little creatures that are almost micro- 

 scopic to monsters nearly as large as wasps. Like 

 snakes, many of them instil a poison when they 

 bite, while others nip tiny pieces of flesh from 

 their victims, and are not venomous. The manuir, 



