X 
CONTENTS 
TROPICAL NATURE AND OTHER ESSAYS 
I. The Climate and Physical Aspects op the Equatorial 
Zone 
The three Climatal Zones of the Earth — Temperature of the Equatorial 
Zone — Causes of the Uniform High Temperature near the Equator — 
Influence of the Heat of the Soil — Influence of the Aqueous Vapour 
of the Atmosphere — Influence of Winds on the Temperature of the 
Equator — Heat due to the Condensation of Atmospheric Vapour — 
General Features of the Equatorial Climate — Uniformity of the 
Equatorial Climate in all Parts of the Globe — Effects of Vegetation 
on Climate — Short Twilight of the Equatorial Zone — The Aspect of 
the Equatorial Heavens — Intensity of Meteorological Phenomena at 
the Equator — Concluding Remarks . . Pages 217-237 
II. Equatorial Vegetation 
The Equatorial Forest-belt and its Causes— General Features of the Equa- 
torial Forests — Characteristics of the Larger Forest-Trees — Flowering 
Trunks and their Probable Cause — Uses of Equatorial Forest-trees — 
The Climbing Plants of the Equatorial Forests— Palms— Uses of Palm- 
trees and their Products — Ferns — Ginger-worts and Wild Bananas — 
Arums — Screw-pines — Orchids — Bamboos — Uses ofthe Bamboo — Man- 
groves — Sensitive Plants — Comparative Scarcity of Flowers — Con- 
cluding Remarks on Tropical Vegetation . . . 238-269 
III. Animal Life in the Tropical Forests 
Difficulties of the Subject— General Aspect of the Animal Life of Equa- 
torial Forests — Diurnal Lepidoptera or Butterflies— Peculiar Habits of 
Tropical Butterflies — Ants, Wasps, and Bees — Ants — Special Rela- 
tions between Ants and Vegetation— Wasps and Bees— Orthoptera 
and other Insects — Beetles— Wingless Insects— General Observations 
on Tropical Insects — Birds — Parrots — Pigeons — Picarise — Cuckoos — 
Trogons, Barbets, Toucans, and Hornbills' — Passeres — Reptiles and 
Amphibia: Lizards — Snakes— Frogs and Toads — Mammalia: Mon- 
keys — Bats — Summary of the Aspects of Animal Life in the Tropics 
270-311 
