AV SU3fATJiA, 



227 



oon tribute to the notmsliraent of the youog fruit and young 

 ovules ; and, Lu regartl to the extrafloml nectaries, they go to 

 the development of the neighbouring organ/' The chief 

 visitors and fertilisers of the 8. javfmt'ca were white buttertlies 

 (Pieridw) ; but I was unable to detect them sipping Irom the 

 honey-enps; while species of wtisps (Emtieim) that frequented 

 them occiisionaUy Ciime cautiously from below to sip the nectar, 

 but disregarded the flowers. These little cups were mi confined 

 to the ueiglibonrhood of tho flowers^ but were arranged almii- 

 dantly on the leaves and on the stems of the plant as well. 



Here I wm gratified to find abundance of the great Arums, 

 AniorphopJudhts iitantm^ of which I have alieafly .spoken • * 

 with tubers of a greater size than any I had seen before, some 

 of them, indeed, being the largest yet recorded. The greatest 

 — measuring in circumfereuce six feet six inches, and its stem 

 at the hose two feet seven inches — formed, on its removiil 

 from the ground, a load for twelve men. 



A striking feature also of the forest here was the enormous 

 results of the activity of earth-worms. The whole surface of 

 the ground Wiis as rough and hummocky as ft newly- ploughed 

 field, A tube four and a half inches in circumference and 

 eight inches high was often raised in a single night, and as, in 

 some places, there were as many as ten to twelve of these in 

 a square yartl, it becomes evident uhat powerful agents they 

 are in the fertilisation of tJie soil, incessant m they seem 

 to be in their work of carrying up the soil from below and 

 laying it down on the surface, burying the rotting (Uhris of the 

 forest. Insects were by no means common. Few bees, fewer 

 beetles, and hardly one of the finer forms of butterflies were 

 found except the magnificent Ornithoptem hroohmtmt whose 

 favourite resort was the stones that cropped out al:K>ve the 

 hot water, and which were of a iemperature but little below 

 130'' This butterfly has a bur of the richest lake dividing 

 the head from the thorax ; its blue-black wings are banded 

 on the upper side with the most sparkling metallic emerald, 

 and tho under sides slashed with metallic green and blue, 

 which glittered and flashed in the sunshine, in whose brightest 

 hours alone they made their appearance. 



On the first favourable day, accompanied by one of the 

 • Supra, p. XTo. 



Q 2 



