JUNGLE JJFE 79 



But this is onlv half tlu- story. Not only is tlici-c a 

 normal se(]uence of seasons, but tliere are two series of tliese 

 seasons, unec^ual, l)ut well-defined. This is a factor whieli 

 adds immensely to the eom})lexity of research, hut is of such 

 si<>'nificance and importance that 1 expect to deyote much 

 time in the future to its study. In the north we have a burst 

 of ai)])le blossoms in the sprin*^-, when the tree puts forth its 

 nu'oht and produces a cloud of color and ])erfume, and later 

 the glorious residue of fruit. But we must also have noticed 

 that in the autumn when all thou^>hts of summer are past, 

 when the katy-dids are slowing- down, and the leaves have 

 yellowed and fallen, that ti-aces appear of a brief, false 

 sprino'. Some of the winter buds unfold, and j)roduce a 

 scattering" of brave blossoms. The violets among the dying- 

 grass stems send up a pitiful showing of flowers, strangely 

 out of place. Then comes a blasting frost and the farce is 

 at an end. Indian summer — like the Ruby-throat — may be 

 only a northern effort faintly adumbrating the tropical 

 exuberance ! 



Here in this land of excess energy, the second summer 

 is not a failure, although subordinate to the real spring. 

 Plants flower and fruit, insects send out fresh broods, birds 

 again pair and nest and again see their fledglings safe on 

 the wing. This we already know, and study of these sue- 

 cessive seasons will reveal much of importance. For the 

 outward circling effects of this secondary cycle are not to 

 be measured merely by the additional numbers. They reach 

 out and control many factors which are seemingly concerned 

 only with lives of creatures six months before or as many 

 in the future. 



There are no jungles in the world comparable in gran- 

 deur to those of the South American tropics, and this is 

 true of many other aspects. The trees here are larger and 

 higher — some reaching the really tremendous height of two 

 hundred feet. The epiphytes are more abundant and strik- 

 ing than in any jungle of the East, the lianas are larger 



