142 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



simultaneously, and their pollen floats upon the 

 wind to long distances. Here in the tropics, how- 

 ever, things are different the wind has little power 

 over such a mass of foliage. Whether looked upon 

 from above or examined carefully from beneath the 

 undulating roof seems perfectly still. The branches 

 are rigid, the leaves stiff, and even the flowers thick 

 in texture. There is nothing comparable with the 

 birch or beech, much less the trembling aspen. 

 The changes produced by a sudden gust upon 

 these trees are entirely unknown here, as are also 

 those beautiful effects of light and shade which 

 delight the painter and poet. It follows also that 

 such yellow clouds of pollen as hover round the 

 pines are entirely wanting, there not being, as far 

 as can be seen, a single wind-fertilised tree in all 

 the Guiana forest. 



Being unable to utilise the air currents the flowers 

 have had to look round for efficient substitutes, and 

 these are found in the host of insects which hang 

 in clouds over the forest canopy at night and buzz 

 around in swarms during the day. Even birds are 

 utilised by some of the larger flowers, the pollen 

 collecting on the bristles at the root of their beaks- 

 Without living helpmates many a tree would become 

 extinct, therefore every effort is put forth to attract 

 and induce winged creatures to render this assist- 



