354 CHKISTMAS IN AFRICA. 



vegetation is resuming its warm coat of life, whose varied colors 

 distinguish its singular beauty. At that season the air becomes 

 clear, inviting the most extended gaze, as if all things were 

 proudly eager for display. " The young foliage of several 

 trees, more especially on the highlands, comes out brown, pale 

 red, or pink, like the hues of autumnal leaves in England ; and 

 as the leaves increase in size they change to a pleasant fresh 

 light green ; bright white, scarlet, pink, and yellow flowers are 

 everywhere; and some few of dark crimson, like those of the 

 kigelia, give warmth of coloring to. Nature's garden. Many 

 trees, such as the scarlet erythrina, attract the eye by the beauty 

 of their blossoms. The white, full bloom of the baobab, coming 

 at times before the rains, and the small and delicate flowers of 

 other trees, grouped into rich clusters, deck the forest. Myriads 

 of wild bees are busy from morning till night. Some of the 

 acacias possess a peculiar attraction for one species of. beetle; 

 while the palm allures others to congregate on its ample leaves. 

 Insects of all sorts are now in full force; brilliant butterflies flit 

 from flower to flower, and, with the charming little sun-birds, 

 which represent the humming-birds of America and the West 

 Indies, never seem to tire. Multitudes of ants are hard at work 

 hunting for food, or bearing it home in triumph. The winter 

 birds of passage, such as the yellow wagtail and blue drongo 

 shrikes, have all gone, and other kinds have come ; the brown 

 kite with his piping like a boatswain's whistle, the spotted 

 cuckoo with a call like 'pula,' and the roller and horn-bill with 

 their loud high notes, are occasionally distinctly heard, though 

 generally this harsher music is half drowned in the volume of 

 sweet sounds poured forth from many a throbbing throat, which 

 makes an African Christmas seem like an English May." No 

 wonder it seemed strange to the Englishmen, who had always 

 hailed its happy eve wrapped in their fleecy robes, or beside the 

 blazing family fire, or amidst the jingling of merry bells and 

 the ringing of merrier laughter, to have the day they loved so 

 much appear dressed so brightly in gayest colors ; the singing 

 birds and springing corn and flowering plains were in the place 

 of the mantle of snow the day had always worn when it came 

 with its gifts and joys to them in England. But it was not a 

 new thing for men to think that everything is contrary in 



