514 



THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



IGARIPE, OH CANOE-PATH ON THE AMAZON. 



CHAPTER IV. 



TROPICAL FORESTS. VALLEY OF THE AMAZON. 



Characteristics of the Tropical Forests Variety of Trees and Plants Aspect During the 

 Rainy Season Beauty After the Rainy Season A Morning Concert Repose at Noon 

 Awakening at Evening Nocturnal Voices of the Forest. The Amazon: Course of the 

 River Size of its Basin The Tide at its Mouth Rising of the River Igaripes, or Canoe- 

 Paths Inundations of the Amazon Vast Variety of its Vegetation Fishes Agassiz's 

 Specimens Alligators and Turtles Turtle-Hunting Insects Ants Butterflies Spiders 

 Lizards Frogs and Toads Snakes Paucity of Mammalia The Jaguar Scantiness 

 of Human Population Indian Tribes Mundurcu Tattooing Travelers' Accounts of the 

 Tribes Men with Tails Orton's Summary of their Character His Own Experience 

 Favorable He finds them Honest and Peaceable Agassiz's Notices of the Indians Their 

 Familiarity with Animals and Plants Whites Negroes Mixed Breeds Agassiz and 

 Orton on the Capacity of Amazonia. 



HAVING passed in review the lofty plateaus, the broad savannas, and tbe 

 burning deserts, which form striking though exceptional features of the 

 Tropical World, we proceed to the forests, which constitute the most distinctive 

 feature of the regions which lie bordering the equator. Keserving for a separate chap- 

 ter some of the most notable trees specially characteristic of the tropics, we propose to 



