194 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



comes the Polypodium piloselloides, and above 

 that the Peperomia nummularifolia, both of which 

 spread their thread-like stems in every direction, 

 decked with pretty oval or circular leaves, covering 

 even the tiniest branches. Among them hepaticae 

 and mosses spring up, and on these grow little 

 orchids with almost microscopic flowers, all com- 

 bining to give a festive appearance to the whole. 

 These tiny beauties are, however, rarely seen from 

 the creek in front there is only a bank of foliage 

 which shuts off everything behind. Pushing our 

 bateau through the screen, however, and looking 

 up, one of the prettiest sights in the world is 

 revealed. In the half-light, which is so grateful 

 to the eyes as well as the feelings, we see the 

 main stem rise like a pillar, clothed in green, and 

 decked perhaps here and there with the beau- 

 tiful flowers of that pretty orchid, Zygopetalon 

 rostratum. From this rise at intervals numerous 

 garland-covered branches, on which are seated the 

 rosettes and clumps of such plants as Pleurothallis, 

 Stelis, and Specklinia, some of them unequalled 

 in beauty, although excelled in size by the larger 

 members of their family. 



Reluctantly leaving this fairy bower, we again 

 come out into the creek and look up to a great 

 branch which extends almost horizontally a few 



