THE TROPICAL ZONE. 213 



one above the other (which when dry adhere to each other), 

 and of beating it out with a mallet. The cloth is dyed of 

 different colours, one of which (a red dye) is exceedingly 

 beautiful, and composed of the juices of two vegetables 

 mixed together. In one of the South Sea Islands we find 

 the beautiful Cape Jessamine growing, with which the wo- 

 men tastefully decorate their hair; and in another they put 

 a finishing stroke to their toilet by sprinkling the yellow 

 pollen of the Pandanus odoratissimus over their hair, as 

 English belles in former days improved their beauty by 

 powder. 



Before taking leave of the South Sea Islands, one word 

 must be said about the Yam, which is so universally found 

 there, and so important as an article of food. It is an elegant- 

 looking climbing plant, belonging to the same family (Dios- 

 corecB] as our Black Bryony (Tamus communis), with a flower 

 very much like it in appearance. The species used as a ve- 

 getable is Dioscorea alata; the root, or rather the tuber, 

 which is the eatable part, is very much like that of the 

 Dahlia in appearance. 



We shall find as we proceed that the vegetation of the 

 Southern Tropical Zone has by no means the same character 

 throughout. On the western coast of South America, for 



