THE ANIMALS OF THE FOREST. 113 



which is perhaps the largest species in Guiana, is 

 over an inch long and is so venomous that the 

 Indian uses it to test his boy's capacity of bearing 

 pain. We have heard a negro cry out and almost 

 weep from its bite, the effects of which lasted for 

 hours. To study these interesting creatures would 

 be the work of a life-time. The researches of Sir 

 John Lubbock have thrown a flood of light upon 

 the habits of European species, but the field here 

 is so wide that probably the result of similar 

 researches in Guiana would be marvellous. 



Perhaps, after the ants, the most ubiquitous are 

 the termites, who are the scavengers of the forest. 

 Although, perhaps, among the most helpless of 

 living things, they carry on a work which is of the 

 utmost importance. In a year or two they will 

 break down the largest timber tree, until it collapses 

 into that rich brown humus so characteristic of 

 the forest, and which is so well suited to feed all 

 the other plants. It must be understood that the 

 decomposition which takes place in the forest is 

 quite distinct from that of more open places. 

 Instead of the alternations of rain and sunshine, 

 we have here a uniform temperature and almost 

 equal amount of moisture. It follows, therefore, 

 that the decomposition is even and continuous. 

 The termites burrow through the timber in every 



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