FLORA OF THE FOREST REGION. 393 



woody depths, and the tortuous paths trodden down by generations 

 of wild beasts in their quest after new pastures, after fresh hunting- 

 grounds, or fountains to slake their thirst, are the only roads which 

 can be pursued by the explorer. 



As far as concerns their botanical composition, the virgin forests 

 of the Tropics are distinguished from those of cold and temperate 

 regions by general characters which it will, perhaps, be useful to indi- 

 cate. If, for example, we adopt as our standard of comparison the 

 European forest, we there remark, in the first place, the complete 

 absence of trees belonging to the important groups of Acotyledons and 

 Monocotyledons, and, in consequence, of the superb palms and elegant 

 arboreal ferns of tropical countries. Or, considering only the Dicoty- 

 ledonous plants, we see again that, in lands bordering on the Equator, 

 there is scarcely a family of this class which does not furnish its con- 

 tingent of woody plants, offering most frequently, with forms of infinite 

 variety, clearly displayed and brilliant flowers, remarkable either for 

 their beauty or their fragrance, 



" Sweet as Sabsean odours from the shores 

 Of Araby the Blest ; " 



while our trees are comprised in a small number of natural groups, 

 and present in general very opposite features ; as, for instance, an 

 almost uniform character or aspect, and flowers scarcely visible and of 

 little elegance. 



It suffices to name the families of the Coniferse and the Amen- 

 tacese, which compose the greater portion of the Flora of our forests. 

 Moreover, as Humboldt observes, in the Temperate Zone, particularly 

 in Europe and the north of Asia, certain species of trees (plantw 

 sociales) grow together, and form of themselves forests which we may 

 designate by their specific name. In the forests of oaks, firs, and 

 birches which cover the countries of the North, in the forests of 

 limes of the East, one unique species of Amentaceae, Conifene, or 

 Tiliaceas generally prevails. This uniform society is foreign to the 

 Tropical forests. The infinite variety of flowers which expand in 

 these Hylceoe do not permit us to ask of what the virgin forests 



