156 TlMEHRI. 
clothed with low bush. Mucca-mucca grows abundantly 
in the water mixed with the sedge Cyperus jlexuosus, 
and more open stretehes of the white lily, Crinum com- 
melinum. Within these is a broken line of Drepanocar- 
pus lunatus, the branches of which float with the rise and 
fall of the river. Bactris major, Desmoncus palustris, 
the marsh fern Acrostichum aureum, a large ginger 
wort, and clumps of bamboo and some courida with it. 
Still more within the water line, a hog-plum, cotton-tree, 
Iong-john, orinoque-tree, the broad leaved Coccoloba, 
Sapium biglandulosum, with cabbage, abbey or cocoanut 
palms stand here and there. Over the bushes trail in 
more or less abundance such creepers as Echites % Dipla- 
denia, Bignonia, Securidaca, Combretum, &c. Scat- 
tered over the surface of the muddy water are drifting 
masses of Pontaderia. The branches of the trees are 
strangely adorned with the bunya or mocking bird's 
nests— a feature which extends right up to the savannah. 
On the bushes the hanna or stinking pheasant is very 
plentiful, and occasionally a guana may be seen basking 
in the sun. Further on the banks are more decidedly 
wooded ; trysil appears plentifully, etae here and there, 
the lilac tree — Jacaranda mimosae folia — sandbox and, 
occasionally, dally — Myristica fatua ; and crabwood is 
common. Allamanda, Mikania, Ipomsea, Caccoucia, 
Paullinia y with most of the creepers before mentioned, 
flower plentifully on the bushes and trees. Bamboo is 
still abundant, marking sites of former dwellings. In 
this part of the river and for some distance further up 
firewood is largely cut and charcoal burnt. Old settle- 
ments or estates are indicated here and there by orange, 
lime or other fruit or flowering trees, in addition to bam- 
