THE COLLARED SUN-BIRD. 139 



the bird of which I am speaking the wings and 

 tail are smaller, and the beautiful collar of blue is 

 wanting. The upper feathers of the tail are of 

 the same brilliant green as the head and back, 

 instead of being violet. This beautiful bird is 

 found in Africa, near the river Niger. 



Nothing can exceed the grandeur of the Afri- 

 can trees. Some of them are of a gigantic size, 

 and have existed for ages. 



One of these trees, vast as it is, belongs to the 

 same family as the mallow and the hollyhock, 

 and has the same mild juices. 



The African gathers the leaves, and when he 

 has dried and pounded them, mixes the powder 

 with his food. He also makes a strong cordage 

 of the fibres of the bark. 



The baobab, or monkey-bread tree, as it is 

 called, will often be stripped of its bark to a con- 

 siderable distance up the stem. But this seems 

 not to harm the tree, and merely causes it to 

 throw out a new bark. 



As the baobab begins to decay, the hollow 

 space in the trunk fills with water, that is pro- 



