THE NATURALISTS’ COMPANION. 
I8<) 
uring tlireo and one-fourth inches in 
length, is not a powerful insect and its 
source of protection lies in the resein- 
hlance of its green wings to the leaf of 
the plants among which it lives. The 
antenm are near]}" three inches long, 
making its extreme length about six 
Inches. 
A species of butterfly exists in South 
America, the body of which is as large 
as that of a robin and its velvet wings, 
ornamented with the most gaudy col¬ 
oring, extend a foot across. 
Man}" spiders of the tropical world 
iiave a body three inches long and the 
circle of their legs six inches in diam¬ 
eter; and one species on the Amazon 
is five inches long. Some of these gi¬ 
ant spiders are extremely active and 
will attack small birds and strangle 
them in their nests. One species quite 
numerous in Columbia, some times 
fastens on the neck of chickens and 
pigeons, seizing them by the throat 
and killing them instantly. Others 
of these spiders obtain their prey by 
weaving webs so strong that large but¬ 
terflies and small birds, even, become 
helpless victims. Though in the tem¬ 
perate zone spiders are of repulsive 
appearance, nunibers of those of the 
tropical world are radiant with the 
shine and metalic lustre of many and 
varied colors. 
In the botanical world the leaves 
and flowers of plants generally attract 
us by their synimetry and regularity 
of outline, or the beauty and harmony 
of their colo;; and their delicate but 
pleasant perfmne. But if we trans- 
])ort ourselves again to the Amazon 
we And tlnu'e the leaves of the Victoria 
regia, which display themselves on 
11 k‘ surface like immense j)lains of ver- 
diii’c. These leaves are nearly circu¬ 
lar and from eighteen to twent}’-live 
feet in circumference. The upper 
surface is of a uniform and beautiful 
green; thus, when seen from a distance, 
presenting the appearance of floating- 
tables covered -with velvet. The frame 
work of these leaves is so strong that 
a child can float on them; and they are 
nightly used as a cool resting place by 
the many aquatic birds of that region. 
The leaf of the great taliput palm 
which grows in India is so large that 
under its vast cover forty persons can 
shelter themselves. The leaf of this 
tree is sometimes fixed to the ceiling 
of museums of natural history, one 
leaf covering it completely. 
The flower of the remarkable Victoria 
regia, the leaf of which has been refered 
to, was long considered the largest in 
the world. These brilliant lose and 
white blossoms often measure a yard in 
circuit and emanate a pleasant fragrance. 
But the fl’ower of the gigantic Rafflesia 
Arnold] is a perfect monster of vegeta¬ 
tion and leaves all others far behind. 
On account of its mammoth proportions, 
botanists for a long time refused to be¬ 
lieve the existance of such a flower,, and 
it was not until a specimen was sent to 
London and there examined that .all 
doubts were dissapated. The flower is 
composed of a fleshy mass weighing 
from twelve to fifteen pounds. ‘Tts, 
border, the circuit of which is not less 
than ten feet, shows five lobes, forming 
a gaping excavation capable of holding 
a dozen pints.” Its odor is unpleasant 
having a carion-like smell. In Sumatra 
and Java where it is found, the natives 
almost make a divinity of it and clothe 
it with a supernatural power. 
But while the ignorant savage of the 
mighty works of nature creates a divin¬ 
ity, the naturalist recognizes in them 
the manifestion of an omnipotent Crea¬ 
tor, whose works and wonders are every¬ 
where displayed to the observing miiul. 
