34^ TiMEHR!. 



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his charge, a heavy rain fell, and the chickens were 

 drowned in a small drain. On the Manager's return the 

 poor boy was fined one dollar each for the chickens, which 

 were not a week old, and when his order was made up 

 he was paid at the very lowest wage. This is only one 

 of many instances, 



Like all Guiana forests, that clothing the banks of the 

 Potaro is singularly devoid of showy flowers, nearly all 

 the forest trees having small ones borne at the very 

 summits far out of sight. Those trees belonging to the 

 Natural Ordevs Lecythacese d^vid B ignoniacese aiXQfho'we\ex , 

 exceptions to the rule, some of them having fairly large 

 and brightly coloured blossoms, but these are only to be 

 seen after they have fallen to the ground in a disorgan- 

 ised condition. 



Now and again one comes across the large white 

 flowers of the " Coopa" (Clusia sp.) strewn along his path, 

 with their curious sticky discs invariably turned upwards. 

 The gold diggers believe that they are sure to contra6l 

 the *' ground itch" should they happen to tread on one 

 of these faded flowers. 



During its younger days the Coopa lives as an epi- 

 phyte, but later it becomes the secret assassin of many a 

 noble Mora, to which tree it appears to have a great liking. 

 The *' Bull Tata" or bush Carrion Crow. Iby6ier Ameri- 

 cana, is very partial to its small seeds, and, with the 

 parrots, seems to be the chief agent in disseminating the 

 species. 



In the more shaded places where the sunlight faintly 

 struggles through the thick foliage overhead, a curious 

 Calathea with broad oval leaves, marked along their 

 centres with dark spots, as if they had been touched with 



