BOTANICAL NOTES. 283 



of dii-ty rain-water, and contain scai-cely any ants, a fe^y cockroaches 

 being generally found in tlie cavities. Those specimens which I 

 examined of another species of this genus (//. Imgistylum, Becc), 

 that occurs on tlie coast trees, contained a few cockroaches, but no 

 ants ; and, on the outer surface of one of the swollen masses, I found 

 a small crab. From my own cursory notes, it would therefore seem 

 probable that these epiphytes may thrive without the presence of 



ants With this digression, I return to my description of the 



ascent of the stream. 



Leaving behind the slime and gloom of the swamp, the rising 

 ii'ound is reached, at the base of which the vesfatation is of the most 

 luxuriant character, and often have I lingered here in my Rob Roy 

 canoe to admire the luxuriance of plant-growth that surrounded me. 

 For on account of the lowness of the district, it shares the dampness 

 though not the infertilit}'^ of the swamps below. The soft clayey 

 rock, which is exposed in the banks of the stream, affords a rich and 

 ■even too productive soil. Nature runs riot and becomes prodigal in 

 her profusion ; and thus growth is too often associated with decay 

 to present on all occasions a pleasing picture to the eye. Here the 

 tree-fern, the croton, the wild plantain, and numerous areca palms 

 flourish; but the aliinias, heliconias, and other scitamineous plants 

 form the chief feature of the vegetation on this gently rising 

 ground. 



Higher up the stream, tall forest trees rise on each side often 

 ■enveloped partially by a drapery of runners and climbing plants, 

 their leafy branchco spreading over the water. Stout lianas hang in 

 festoons across the stream. Partly hidden amongst the greater 

 vegetation may be seen the fan-palm of the district (Licuala, the 

 ^' firo " of the natives), and another pretty little palm known as the 

 "sensisi," Cyrtostachys, together with the handsome foliage of a 

 Plerandra (" fo ") and numerous areca palms. An occasional 

 JJolicholohium ("lowasi") with white flowers distributes its frag- 

 rance around. Ferns abound along the banks, varying in size 

 from the small Trichomanes to the tree-fern, twenty feet in 

 height, and the Angioptcris with its magnificent spreading fronds 

 fifteen feet and more in length. If one leaves the stream for a 

 few minutes at the foot of the hills, a moist, low-lying district is 

 traversed, the home of the scitamineai and the areca-palms, which 

 latter are distincruished amongst the natives as the " momo." " nma.- 

 «olu," " nio^a-torulo," and " au-au." 



