60 HARMONIES. 



than a man's open hand, with the lower surface of the 

 wings adorned with a pearly iridescence, and concentric 

 rings, while their upper face is of an uniform azure, so 

 intensely lustrous that the eye cannot gaze upon it in the 

 sun without pain. 



Solemn are those primeval labyrinths of giant trees, 

 tangled with ten thousand creepers, and roofed with lofty 

 arches of light foliage, diversified with masses of glorious 

 blossom of all rich hues ; while from the borders of the 

 igaripes, or narrow canals that permeate the lower levels, 

 spring most elegant ferns, lowly sensitive mimosas, great 

 and fantastic herbaceous plants, marbled and spotted 

 arums, closely compacted fan-palms with spreading crowns, 

 and multitudes of other strange forms of vegetation in 

 an almost inconceivable profusion. The gigantic scale of 

 life strongly excites astonishment in these forests. In 

 Europe we associate flowers with herbs or shrubs, but 

 here we see trees of colossal height, in all the splendour 

 of bloom, which clothes the whole crown with its colour. 



The traveller sees with delight, trees covered with 

 magnificent, large lilac, orange, crimson, or white 

 blossoms, contrasting beautifully with the surrounding 

 varied tints of green. After enjoying, with a restless 

 glance, this display of colours, he turns to the deep 

 shades which lie disclosed, solemn and mournful, be- 

 tween the gigantic trees on the wayside. The flame- 

 coloured raceme of a tillandsia, resembling an immense 

 pine-apple, glows like fire among the dark foliage. 

 Again attention is attracted by the charming orchids, 



