528 THE UNIVERSE. 



look of palms, give these distant landscapes an appearance 

 which is seen in no other part. 



The impenetrable virgin forest alarms us by its sombre 

 and terrible aspect. On one side vigorous parasites assail 

 the ased trees, foi'mino- Avith them an inextricable network 

 which the axe can scarcely cleave, whilst all progress 

 through it is impeded by bushes and tall herbs, where 

 so many redoubtable enemies lie concealed. During the 

 day all is silent: the frightful heat paralyzes the tenants 

 of this realm of vegetation, and sleep reigns everywhere. 

 But when night arrives all becomes full of life; birds, 

 mammals, and reptiles declare war on one another, and 

 every part rings with groans and hoarse cries of pain and 

 death. 



CHAPTEE II. 



GIANTS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM, 



Like animals, plants may be infinitely little or infinitely 

 huge; the latter astonish us by their colossal proportions, 

 while the former escape our ken and are only revealed by 

 the microscope. 



The study of the development of plants in respect to 

 their mere size presents us with some curious contrasts. 



Some rudimentary plants, such as the Ascophori, ]\Iould 

 Fungi which so frerpiently invade our bread, and the 

 Aspergilli which we often see forming in the fluids we 

 drink glairy repulsive -looking films, only possess an 



