i?6 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



Here and there a little bay at the turning of the 

 creek is flooded with sunlight, and this makes the 

 struggle all the more intense. If the current is not 

 very strong a bed of Cabomba aquatica, with its 

 pretty shields, will occupy the space, and beyond it 

 a clump of white lilies (Pancratium). Then comes 

 the really impenetrable jungle, which is so dense, 

 that not a single ray of sunlight reaches the ground. 

 But there are few open places in the narrower 

 creeks. For long distances the trees meet over- 

 head, and make everything beneath almost as dark 

 as in the forest. If, however, the smallest ray of 

 light can penetrate, we see a struggle going on 

 below for its possession. Again, for miles the 

 stream flows through a living tunnel, and here 

 nothing whatever can grow ; the tangle of branches 

 above our heads is free from epiphytes, and even 

 leaves. 



We have not mentioned the epiphytes, as they 

 are important enough to deserve a special chapter. 

 We may, however, remark that it is in the creeks 

 where the lovely orchids sit on branches above 

 our heads, and, together with ferns, peperomias, 

 cacti, bromeliaceae, and aroids, decorate every 

 branch and twig. As if looking down from above 

 on the intense struggle, these seem like spectators 

 watching the fight, but having no interest in it. If 



