576 



Marvels of the Universe 



THE MOSASAUR. 



A reconstructed skeleton of a creature which often attained a lenglK of fifty feet or more. An interesting feature is the 

 lower jaw, which is hinged across the middle and resembles the jaws of snakes, indicating thai the prey of these aninrvals was 

 larger than the width of the head. 



THE GIANT WATER-LILY 



BY EDWARD STEP. F.L.S. 



We have already figured and described the largest known flower (Rafflesia), and by comparison with 

 it the Victoria Water-lily is a rather small giant, but putting Rafflesia aside, the VictoiTa is of 

 quite noteworthy proportions. Then, added to its magnificent flowers, the plant has several notable 

 features which would give it first place in any popular competition between the two plants. The 

 aquatic flower has beautiful tints ranging from pure white to rose ; it gives forth a delightful 

 odour, and it is set off by magnificent leaves that are in themselves entitled to rank as 

 marvels. 



Although discovered so far back as the year 1801, and recorded by several travellers in subse- 

 quent years as growing in various South American rivers, it does not appear to have been taken 

 seriously until 1837, when Sir Robert Schomburgk found it in the Berbice River, British Guiana, 

 and fully described it to the Royal Geographical Society. That was the year of Queen Victoria's 

 accession, so what more natural than that the beautiful plant should be named Victoria 

 regia ? 



From a thick, fleshy rootstock running in the mud of the stream the plant sends up its leaf-buds 

 to the surface, where they expand into huge tray-like leaves which measure from two to four yards 

 across. Rich deep green on the upper surface, the edge is turned up all around to a height of three 

 or four inches, as though to show the crimson or purple tinting of its lower side. The leaf-stalk 

 is attached to the centre of this underside, and from it radiate a number of very stout nerves with 

 many thick branches connecting them, so that the entire underside is mapped out into a great 

 nmnber of cells. This conformation, it will be understood, at once adds greatly to the strength of 

 the leaf and also to its buoyancy. It is worthy of note that it was the contemplation of this leaf- 

 structure that gave Sir Joseph Paxton — then gardener to the Duke of Devonshire — the idea upon 

 which he designed the Crystal Palace, iron-work taking the place of the nerves, and glass instead of 

 leaf-tissue filling in the interstices. The nerves of the leaf as well as its stalk are hollowed by air 

 passages to increase their buoyancy, and are beset on the exterior with sharp, stout spines to 

 keep off fishes that might otherwise be inclined to browse upon the plant. The flower is about 

 fifteen inches across. 



