ABERRATION OF GROWTH. 269 



notice one of those silent over-growings of vegetation, 

 where the form of some Titanic tree is strangely distorted, 

 " with knots and knares deformed and old," or some trunk 

 embraced in the python folds of an enormous Creeper. 

 I remember seeing, at Tanjong Datu, a tree, of large 

 dimensions, growing on the top of an enormous granitic 

 boulder, the roots of which, descending in the form of long 

 ropes, buried themselves in the ground, thus supporting 

 the tree in a perpendicular position. 



These aberrations of growth, are frequently met with 

 in the tropical forests, where great heat prevails, and the 

 ground is always moist. Although usually dim, and 

 often nearly dark, these woods are sometimes illumined 

 by a transient streak of light " fair vistas shooting beams 

 of day ", and on the leaves, where the sunbeams play, 

 showy Diptera are to be captured, and, numbers of 

 Buprestidce, with glittering metallic wings. Generally, 

 however, with the exception of the loud song of our 

 merry friend, the Cicada, an unbroken silence reigns 

 throughout the forest, which is very solemn and im- 

 pressive. But as the evening breeze sets in, this silent 

 majesty of the woods is disturbed by the harsh notes of 

 the Horn-bill (Buceros Rhinoceros and Astracius), the 

 screaming of Loris, and the chattering of Monkeys in the 

 trees. The wood-paths are become instinct with life, and 

 now is heard the whistle and the song, the shrilly cry, 

 and gurgling, mellow sound, the loud shriek, and all the 

 varied notes of the " plumy people of the grove." 



More particularly during the period of the immersion 

 of our good ship, had I an opportunity of examining some 

 of the peculiarities of tropic scenes and scenery, and what 



