OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS. 161 



Tropical countries may be truly regarded as the paradise 

 of trees and flowers. The intense heat and light of the sun 

 combined with the humidity of the atmosphere, cause the 

 rapid development of a rich and varied flora.. There are 

 no wintry winds, falling snows, or hard frosts, to blight the 

 magnificent vegetable beauty with which these regions are 

 overspread. The forests of the tropics, instead of being 

 composed, as in temperate climates, of a small number of 

 trees with desiduous leaves, presenting the same wearisome, 

 monotonous aspect, exhibit a much greater variety of arbor- 

 escent forms, which, clothed with perpetual verdure, are 

 covered throughout the year with fruits and flowers in dif- 

 ferent stages of growth. The grasses are there ligneous and 

 gigantic, some of them equal in height to the trees of tem- 

 perate climates; immense woody vines of fantastic and 

 ever varied form, elevate themselves to the. summit of the 

 tallest trees, with the leaves and blossom of which their 

 foliage and flowers are often beautifully intermingled. 

 The tall and elegant palms and tree ferns, with their mag- 

 nificent bouquet of gigantic and pendulous fronds towering 

 above the rest of the trees of the forest, are seen afar ofi' on 

 the ocean, and are the first objects which present themselves 

 as the traveller approaches the shores of tropical countries. 



The development of animality is equally luxuriant. All 

 the principal types of animal life are represented on the most 

 magnificent scale. An astonishing variety of birds with the 

 most brilliant plumage, make the forests vocal with their 

 melody. We need only refer to the tribe of humming birds 

 which numbers no less than 300 species. Here reside thg 

 noble lion, the beautiful though ferocious tiger, the largest 

 of the cat tribe. This is the home of the great pachy- 

 dermata, the elephant, the hippopotamus, and the tapir. 

 The reptilia assume their largest forms. Immense crocp- 



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