ON THE SAND-REEF AND MOUNTAIN. 231 



is more archaic in its type than the epiphytal 

 species of the same genus. All about these places 

 lichens and mosses are common, on the sand as 

 well as on the bushes, the cushions of Polytrichum 

 and Octoblepharum often covering large surfaces. 



But, perhaps the most interesting plants on the 

 mourie are those which are also found in the 

 forest under different conditions. The Clusias 

 and figs are living quite a harmless life they no 

 longer perch on the trees to strangle them, but 

 use their best .endeavours to get over the diffi- 

 culties of such a hot and barren soil. There is so 

 much work to be done in the way of groping 

 down into the cooler depths for moisture and the 

 weak infusion of vegetable matter, that they have 

 hardly time to attend to other business. 



Instead of climbing upwards to fight for a share 

 of the sunlight they have rather to harden them- 

 selves against it, as here it is so plentiful, so glaring, 

 and so very hot. The forest giants manage to 

 exist here and there on the slopes, but they can 

 only do so by modifying themselves so much, 

 that woodcutters distinguish between the timber 

 of such places and that of the swamp as being 

 harder and much more durable. Then, we have 

 a wealth of scrambling vines, which instead of 

 climbing to the tree-tops, run along the sand and 



