Chapter XLI: The African Negroes (2)

---- ---- antiquity of one at Anarajapoora, in Ceylon, 126

---- ---- veneration of the Buddhists for it, 127

---- ---- union of the Bo tree with the Palmyra palm, 137

Boa constrictor, 301

---- ---- his habitat, 301

---- ---- the water, 301

---- ---- his habitat, 302

Boaquira (Crotalus horridus), 298

Bogota, perennial rainy seasons of, 6

Bombax Ceiba, 139

Bombay, heavy fall of rain at, 8

Bombyx cynthia, 249

---- mori, 249

---- mylitta, 249

Bonny, mode of providing for the wants of the dead at, 527

---- the town of, 529, 530

Boomerang of the Australian savage,476

Botocudo Indians, 62

Botocudos Indians, 77

Bottle tree of tropical Australia, 139

Botuto, or holy trumpet, of the South American Indians, 70

Bourbon, nutmegs of, 201

Bow Island. _See_ Hau

Brazil, impenetrable forests of, 55

---- sensitive plants of, 135

---- the bushropes or lianas of, 135

---- immense number of beetles found in, 210

---- the bush-master of, 297

---- the giant-toad of, 320

---- tree-frog of, 320

---- birds of, 347

---- humming-birds of, 347

---- wood (Cæsalpina crista), description of the tree producing, 195

Brazilian nut (Bertholletia), 145

Bread-fruit tree (Artocarpus incisa) of Polynesia, 166

---- ---- ---- the harvest, 166

---- ---- ---- the sour paste, 167

Bromelids, American, 132

---- uses of the, 132

Buddhists, their veneration for the sacred Bo tree at Anarajapoora, 127

Buffalo, the African (Bubalus Caffer), his guardian bird, 442

---- ferocity of the, 413

Buffalo-thorn (Acacia latronùm), thorns of the, 144

Buffaloes, ferocity of the male solitaires of the, 413

Bulls, wild, of the Puna mountain valleys, 28

Buprestis gigas, elytra of the, worn as an ornament, 252

Bushmen, African, 88

---- their habitat, 88

---- their weapons, 89

---- their treatment of the Bakalahari, 92

Bush-master snake (Lachesis rhombeata), 297

Bushropes, or lianas, of tropical vegetation, 135

Cabbage-palm of the Antilles (Oreodoxa oleracea), its magnificence, 159

---- ---- grub of the, 159

Cabeza di Negro (Phytelephas), hard white nuts of the, 160

Cacao tree (Cacao theobroma), 182

---- ---- origin of the name of theobroma, 182

---- ---- indigenous in Mexico, 182

---- ---- Humboldt’s description of a cacao plantation, 182

---- ---- mode of cultivation, 183

---- ---- management of the beans, 183

---- ---- used in the form of chocolate, 183

Cactuses, description of the, 133

---- their usefulness to man, 133

Cactuses did not exist in the Old World previous to the discovery of
America, 134

---- range of their growth, 134

---- of Peru and Bolivia, 134

---- of the Puna, 134

Cæsalpina crista, 195

Caffa and Enarea, the original home of the coffee plant, 178

Calabar, New and Old, palm-oil trade of, 146

Calao, or rhinoceros horn-bill (Buceros rhinoceros), 358

Calcutta, heavy fall of rain in, 18

Californian firs, size of the, 159

Calms, zone of, 6

---- intense heat of the, 6

---- heavy afternoon rains of the, 6

Camel, its resemblance to the ostrich, 387

---- the dromedary the ship of the desert, 399

---- adaptation of its organisation to its mode of life, 400

---- Bedouin mode of training it, 400

---- the Bactrian camel, 401

---- immemorial slavery of the camel, 401

---- its unamiable character, 402

Camelopard. _See_ Giraffe

Campanero, or bell-bird, 350

Canary Islands, gigantic dragon-trees of the, 123

Canis Ingæ of the Punas, 28

Caoutchouc tree (Siphonia elastica), Indians incising some
of them, 188

---- ---- description of the tree, 190

---- ---- introduction of caoutchouc into Europe, 190

---- ---- mode of collecting the resin, 190

---- ---- other trees yielding caoutchouc, 191

---- ---- various uses of India-rubber, 191

Caouana, or loggerhead turtle (Chelonia caouana), 331

Capybara, or water-pig, eaten by the alligator, 333

Caribs, 76

Caracara eagle (Polyborus caracara), his station, 246

Cardinal bird of Mexico, 80

Carinaria vitrea, the, 274

Carnauba palm (Corypha cerifera), wax obtained from the, 158

---- ---- other uses of the tree, 158

Caroa (Bromelia variegata), fishing-nets made from the fibres of the, 132

Caroline Islanders, 289

Cassava, or Mandioca root (Jatropha Manihot), how prepared
as food, 169

Cassava, the sweet cassava (Jatropha janipha), 170

Cassicus cristatus, 354

---- ruber, 354

---- persicus, 354

Cassiques, the, 354

---- their pendulous nests, 354

Cassowary, the galeated (Casuarius galeatus), 390, 391

Caterpillars, eaten by man in Africa, 251

---- their means of defence, 209

Cayman. _See_ Alligator

Cecropias, of the Amazons river, 45

Ceiba (Bombax ceiba), the, of the forests of Yucatan, 128

Cephalopods, gigantic, 274

Cerastes, or horned viper, of the Egyptian jugglers, 301

Cercopitheci, their characteristics, 505

---- parental affection of one, 507

Ceroxylon andicola, wax obtained from the, 159

---- height at which it will grow, 159, 160

Ceylon, abundance of the cocoa-nut tree in, 146, 147

---- its love of the sea, 146

---- the tree, and its fruit and flowers, 147

---- cocoa-nut oil trade of, 148

---- coir of the, 148

---- palmyra toddy of, 148

---- wood of the cocoa-nut tree, uses for it, 149

---- enemies of the, 149

---- cultivation of rice in, 164

---- the coffee cultivation of, 180

---- cinnamon gardens of, 198

---- ---- taken by the Dutch, who save the plants, 198

---- former profits of the Dutch, 198

---- dimensions of the atlas moth of, 207

---- Mr. Stewart’s plantation at Ceylon, 199

---- nutmegs of, 202

---- snakes of, 209

---- comparative rareness of venomous snakes in, 209

---- the rat-snake and cobra domesticated in, 308

---- barbarous mode of selling turtle-flesh in, 330

---- birds of, 374

---- elephants of, 440

---- elephant-catchers of, 440

Chacma, or pig-faced baboon (Cynocephalus porcarius), 510

Chalias, the, of Ceylon, and their supply of cinnamon, 198

Chamærops humilis, of Nizza, 160

Chameleon, the, 313

---- its habitat, 313

---- its manner of hunting for its food, 313

---- peculiarities of its organisation, 314

Chancay, sand-hills of, 35

Cheetah, or hunting leopard, 446

Chegoe, Pique, or Jigger, of the West Indies (Pulex penetrans), 225

---- its mode of working, 225

---- native method of extirpating it, 225

Chelonia imbricata, 329, 331

---- midas, 329

---- caouana, 331

Chelonians, 321

Chimpanzee, the (Simia troglodytes), 499

---- chim in Paris, 499

Chincha, or Guano Islands, 35

Chinchilla lanigera, the, of the high table-lands of Peru, 27

---- ---- its appearance and habits, 27

Chirimoya (Anona tripetala), a Peruvian fruit, 172

Choco of Chili, 160

Chocolate, 183

Chuñu, or chaps, caused by the biting winds of the Puna, 21

Cicadæ, or frog-hoppers, eaten by man, 252

Cilgero bird of Cuba, his song, 356

Cinnamon plant, 198

---- gardens of Ceylon, 198

---- immense profits of the Dutch, 198

---- decline of the trade, 198

---- mode of cultivating the plant and procuring the rind, 199

---- the Ceylon chalias, 198

Cleopatra, her death, 300

Climates, diversity of, within the tropics, 1

---- causes by which the diversity of, is produced, 2

---- varieties of the tropical, 3

---- climate of the Llanos of Venezuela and New Granada, 11

---- of the Puna or high table-lands of Peru and Bolivia, 20

Cloves, history of the cruel monopoly of the Dutch in, 200

---- clove-tree groves, 201

Coary river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Coatimondi, the, 499

Cobra di Capello, the, 298, 299

---- tamed by the Indian jugglers, 299

---- its habitat, 300

---- its sea voyages, 300

Coca (Erythroxylon coca), 184

Coca, its immense consumption in Peru and Bolivia, 184

---- mode of preparing it by the Indians, 185

---- its wonderfully strengthening effects, 186

---- use of, in ascending mountains, 186

---- fatal consequences of its abuse, 186

---- the coquero, or confirmed coca-chewer, 186

---- divine honours paid to the shrub by the Peruvians, 187

---- its use interdicted by the Spanish conquerors, but finally
allowed and encouraged, 187

---- its remarkable properties long remained unnoticed, 187

Cocci, the cochineal coccus of Mexico, 249, 250

Coccus cacti, 250

---- hesperidum of Mexico, 249

---- lacca, or lac-insect, 249, 251

---- of the coffee tree, 182

Cochineal insect, exportation of, forbidden by the Spaniards
in Mexico, 250

---- ---- introduced into the Canary Islands, Spain, and other
places, 251

---- ---- cultivation of the, 250

---- ---- history of cochineal, 250

Cock of the Rock of Guiana (Rupicola aurantia), 351

Cockatoo, the, 396

---- the great white, 396

---- the black of Australia, 396

---- cockatoo-killing in Australia, 396

Cockroaches (Blattæ), tropical plague of, introduced into England, 233

---- the giant cockroach of the tropics (Blatta gigantea), 233

---- encounter between a spider and a cockroach, 218

Cocoa-nut tree (Cocos nucifera), the 146

---- ---- ---- its abundance in Ceylon, 146

---- ---- ---- its many uses to man, 147

---- ---- ---- cocoa-nut oil and the oil trade, 148

---- ---- ---- toddy made from the, 148

---- ---- ---- timber of the, 148, 149

---- ---- ---- cultivation of the, 149

---- ---- ---- enemies of the, 149

Cocos nucifera, the, 146. _See_ Cocoa-nut tree

---- butyracea, or oil palm-tree of West Africa, 158

Cocujas beetle of South America, its luminous qualities, 210

Coffee, original home of the plant, 178

Coffee, the use of, introduced into Arabia, 178

---- history of coffee-drinking, 179

---- the first coffee-houses in London and Paris, 179

---- present state of coffee production throughout the world, 179, 180

---- Brazil, Java, Ceylon, Hayti, and Venezuela, 180

---- Mocha coffee, its quality, 180

---- mode of cultivation of the coffee-tree, 180

---- coffee plantations, 180

---- felling trees for coffee plantations in Ceylon, 181

---- enemies of the coffee-tree, 180

Coir, or cocoa-nut fibre, uses to which it is applied, 148

Colobi, the African, 505

Colombo, cinnamon gardens of, 198

Condamine, M. La, his voyage from Brancamoros to Para, 52

---- introduces caoutchouc into Europe, 190

Condor, the, of the high table-lands of tropical America, 28, 377

---- his marvellous flight, 377

---- his food, 377

---- modes of capturing him, 377, 378

---- compared with the albatross, 378

Coniferæ of the slopes of the Sikkim mountains, 83

Copris hamadryas, size of the, 205, 206

Convolvulus batatas, or sweet potato, 170

Coot, the gigantic (Fulica gigantea), of tropical America, 28

Coppersmith bird of Ceylon (Megalasara Indica), 373

Coral islands, 266

---- formation of, 275

---- dreary monotony of a coral islander’s life, 289

Coral-snake (Elaps corallinus), domesticated in Brazil, 308

Coriaceous turtle (Sphargis coriacea), 330

Corozo palm (Elæis oleifera), oil of the, 159

Corribory of the Australians, 469

Cotingas, the, 350

Cotton, 189

---- cultivation of, 189

---- amazing rise of the cotton manufacture, 189

---- the cotton harvest, 190

---- the cotton trade of India, present and prospective, 190 _et seq._

Couguar, or puma, the, 462

---- shown by the Peruvian Indians, 463

Counacutchi, or bush-master snake (Lachesis rhombeata), 297

Crab, land, 272, 273

---- their burrows, 273

---- their mode of defence, 274

Crabs, fighting, 274

---- injuries done by, to the sugar-cane, 177

---- short-tailed, 272

---- of the tropical seas, 272

Crauata de rede (Bromelia sagenaria), cordage made from the, 132

Cray-fish, 272

Creeping plants, their importance in the deserts of South Africa, 64

Crocodiles of the banks of the Amazons, 45

---- their torpidity, 332, 340

---- food of the, 338

---- their friend, the Hyas Ægyptiacus, 339

---- fables as to the ichneumon, 339

---- their power of fascinating their prey, 340

---- their wanderings, 340

---- anecdote of one in Ceylon, 341

---- their habitat, 337

Crotalus horridus, 298

---- durissus, 298

Crustaceans of the tropics, 272

---- decapod, 272

Cucurito palm, splendour of the, 161

Cynocephali, 509

Cynocephalus porcarius, 510

---- sphinx, 510

Cypræa aurora, 274

Dahomey, human sacrifices at, 526

Damara Land, reason why droughts are prevalent in, 86

Dampier, the bread-fruit first mentioned by, 167

---- his account of logwood-cutting and logwood-cutters, 194, 195

---- his love for the free life of wood-cutters, 195

---- attacked by a Guinea worm, 250

Date-palm (Phœnix dactylifera), 154

---- ---- range of its cultivation, 155

---- ---- introduced into Spain and Italy, 155

---- ---- mode of propagation, 155

---- ---- sanctity of the tree, 155

---- ---- toddy of the, 155

---- ---- varieties of dates, 156

Decomposition arrested by sand and the winds of the Punas, 25

Delabechea, or bottle-tree, of tropical Australia, 138, 139

Delebl palms of Kordofan, 158

Demerara, the goatsucker of, 355

Demoiselle, or Numidian crane (Grus virgo), 362

---- the crowned, 362

Derryas, the (Cynocephalus hamadryas), formerly regarded with divine
honours, 510

Desert, the ship of the. _See_ Camel

Dew, causes of, 5

Diactor bilineatus, 209

Diamond-beetle (Entimus nobilis), used as an ornament, 252

Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana), 506

Diodon, the, 272

Dioscoreæ, habitat of the, 170

Diseases to which the traveller is liable in the Punas, or high
table-lands of Peru and Bolivia, 22

Dogs, half wild (Canis Ingæ), of the Punas, 28

---- eaten by the Polynesians, 281

Dolphins, 271

Doum-palm (Hyphæne thebaica), 157

---- used for the preparation of sherbet, 157

Douw, or Burchell’s zebra, 415

Dracænas, or dragon-trees, 123

---- gigantic ones of the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Porto Santo, 123

---- celebrated specimen at Orotava, in Teneriffe, 123

Dragons, flying, 317

Dragon-trees. _See_ Dracænas

Dromedary. _See_ Camel

Drummer cockroach (Blatta gigantea), 233

Du Chaillu, M., his description of the gorilla, 501

Duck (Chenalobex jubata) of the Amazons, 46

Duiker (Cephalopus mergens), the, of South Africa, 88, 410

Durian of the Indian Archipelago, 145

Durissus (Crotalus durissus), 298

Dutch, their progress in the Indian Ocean and cruel monopolies, 200

---- their cultivation of nutmegs and cloves, 199–202

Dyaks of Borneo, 263

Dyes, tropical vegetable, 192

---- indigo, 192, 193

---- logwood, 193

---- Brazil wood, 195

---- arnatto, 195

Eagle, the harpy, 380

---- his habitat, 380

---- his ferocity, 381

Eagle, the fishing, of Africa (Haliætus vocifer), 382

Earth-hogs of the Cape, 488

Echidna, the, or porcupine ant-eater, 488

Echinocacti, the, 133

Echinocactus nana, or dwarf-cactus, 133

---- visnaga, its immense size, 133

Elæis gumeensis, or oil palm-tree of West Africa, 158

Elands (Boselaphus oreas) of South Africa, 88, 409

Electrical eel (Gymnotus electricus), 17

---- ---- Indian mode of capturing them, 17

Elephant, plague of the Soudan fly to the, 231

---- his love of solitude, 431

---- his senses of smell and of hearing, 432

---- his mode of ascending and descending abrupt banks, 432

---- his stomach, 433

---- his trunk, 433

---- uses of his tusks, 433

---- his discipline, 434

---- his sagacity and devotion, 434

---- rogues, 435

---- value of the elephant to man, 435

---- species of the, 435

---- wide range of the African elephant, 435

---- mode of hunting him in various countries, 435

---- ivory of the African elephant, 436, 439

---- cutting up by a negro tribe, 437

---- escape of Mr. Oswell, 438

---- the Asiatic, 439

---- catchers, of Ceylon, 440

---- corrals, 441–443

Emu of Australia (Dromaius Novæ Hollandiæ), 391

Enarea and Caffa, the original home of the coffee plant, 178

Entomo phila picta, 370

---- albogularis, 370

Esmeralda, mosquitoes of, 233

Eucalypti of Australia, size of the, 159

Euphorbia arborescens of Africa, 122

Exocoetus volitans, 271

Eyes, acute inflammation of the, in the Puna, 21

Falcon (Falco sparverius) of the Peruvian sand-coast, 34, 246

Fan palms, crown of the, 161

Feejee Islands, verdure of, 6

---- ---- barbarous mode of treating turtles in the, 329

Felidæ of the tropical forests, 446

---- of the Old World, 446

Ferns of the tropics, 161

Fetissism of the negroes, 522

Ficus elastica, singular formation of the roots of the, 136, 139

---- ---- caoutchouc of the, 191

Fiery topaz, nest of the, 348

Fig, the Indian, the fruit of the melocacti, 134

Fig trees, climbing, of Polanarrua, 136

---- ---- marriage of the fig tree and palm, 137

Filaria medinensis, or Guinea worm, 226

---- ---- its mode of working, 226

---- ---- method of extracting it, 226

Finches of the tropics, 357

Fire-ant, the black, of Guiana, 274

Fire-flies of the Indian Archipelago, 210

Fishes, tropical, 65, 271

Fish-catching on a grand scale, 66

Fishing-eagle of Africa (Haliætus vocifer), 382

Flamingo (Phœnicopterus ruber), 357

---- long-legged, of the Puna, 28

---- its habits, 357, 361

---- its nests, 357

Flute-bird of Guiana (Cyphorinus cantans), 357

Fly-catcher, crowned (Myoarchus coronatus), of the Peruvian
sand-coast, 34

Flying-dragons, 317

Flying-fishes (Exocœtus volitans, Pterois volitans), 271

Flying-foxes (Pteropus), 401

Flying-squirrels (Pteromys), 494

Forbes, Mr., his narrow escape from a Cobra di Capello, 299

Forest, primitive tropical, 53

---- its peculiar charms and terrors, 53

---- troubles of the botanist in the, 54

---- endless varieties of trees in tropical forests, 55

---- and of their sites, 56

---- lowland forests during the rainy seasons, 57

---- a hurricane in, 57

---- beauty of the forests after the rainy seasons, 58

---- birds of the tropical, 58, 59

---- morning, noon, and night in the forests, 59, 60

---- first impression of a tropical forest, 292

---- exaggerated fears, 293

---- few tropical snakes to be seen, 293

---- habits and appearance of venomous snakes, 293

---- anecdote of the Prince of Neu Wied, 294

Forest snakes, death caused by the bite of a Trigonocephalus, 295

---- antidotes recommended against serpentine poison, 295

---- vipers and rattlesnakes, 297, 298

---- the Cobra di Capello, 298

---- the asp and viper, 300

---- boas and pythons, 301

---- enemies of snakes, 302

Fox (Canis azaræ), the, of the high table-lands of Peru and Bolivia, 28

Fox-tailed monkeys, 513

Francisco, San, cordage used on the banks of the river of, 132

Frigate-bird, 267

---- ---- its mode of operation, 267, 268

Frog, the Brazilian and Surinam tree, 320

Frog-fish, the, 272

Fruit trees of the tropics, 145

---- ---- the chirimoya of Peru, 172

---- ---- the litchi, 172

---- ---- the mangosteen, 173

---- ---- the mango, 173

Fungus ant, 239

Gad-fly of South America (Œstrus hominis), ulcers produced by the, 225

Galapagos, or Tortoise Islands, 321

---- singular animal and vegetable life of the, 321

Galagos, the, 516

Galeopitheci, the, 495

Gallinazos, or turkey-buzzards, 378

Garapata (Ixodes sanguisuga), a kind of blood-sucking tick, 227

Garua, or drizzling mists, of the Peruvian sand-coasts, 32

Gasteracantha arcuata, 292

Gavials of the Ganges, 333

---- their attack of the tiger, 333

Gecko, the, 310, 311

---- its usefulness to man, 310

---- anatomy of its feet, 311

---- different species of, 311

---- defeats a Tarantula spider, 312

Gemsbuck of South Africa (A. Oryx), 88, 410

Gibbon, the, described, 503

Giraffe, or camelopard, its beauty, 403

---- its wide range of vision, 403

---- use of its horns, 404

---- its gregarious habits, 405

---- hunting, 405–408

---- his enemies in the forest, 408

---- known to the ancients, 408

---- analogies between the giraffe and ostrich, 408

Glow-worms of Europe, 210

---- ---- of Sarawak, 211

---- ---- worn as ornaments, 211

---- ---- soldiers forced to retreat before them, 211

Glyphodons, 272

Gnu (Catoblepas gnu), always found near water, 88, 411

---- the, of South Africa, 411

Goatsucker of Demerara, singular voice of the, 355

---- his usefulness, 355

---- his food, 356

Godin des Odonnais, M., accompanies La Condamine on his voyage, 52

Godin, Madame, her adventures, 52

Goliath beetles of the coast of Guinea, 206

---- ---- eaten, 252

Golunda coffee-rat, the, 182

Gomuti palm (Gomutus vulgaris), wine of the, 150

Gorilla, the, 500

---- encounter with a, 501

Grass, aquatic, on the shores of the Amazons, 45

Green turtle (Chelonia midas), 329

Grosbeak, the social, 366

Gua Gede, cavern of, 270

Gua Rongkop, cave of, and its esculent swallows’ nests, 270

Guadeloupe, tornado in, 9

Guadua bamboo, its importance in New Grenada and Quito, 130

Guama, Rio, singular vegetation on the banks of the, 137

Guana, great American, 314

Guanas of the Bahama Islands, 315

---- used as food, 315

Guano beds of sea-birds, 35

Guano Island, a, 30

Guano or Chincha Islands, 35

Guarana Indians, importance of the Mauritia palm to the, 18

---- ---- their singular habitations, 18

Gudgeon, close-eyed (Periophthalmus, or Jumping Johnny, of the
mangrove swamps), 141

Guiana, beauty of the vegetation of the banks of the rivers of, after
the rainy season, 58

---- birds of, 58, 350, 352

---- Goliath beetles of, 206

---- musical toad of, 320

Guinea worm (Filaria medinensis), 226

Gull, Quiulla (Larus serranus) of the Puna, 28

Gumatty, or fibres of the saguer palm, 151

Gutta percha, or gutta tuban (Icosandra gutta), its native
country, 191

Gutta percha, its introduction into Europe, 191

---- ---- Malay mode of collecting the gum, 191

---- ---- properties of gutta percha, 192

---- ---- uses of gutta percha, 192

---- ---- supply of gutta percha, 192

Guayaquil, perennial rainy season of, 6

Gymnotus electricus, 17

Haje (Naja Haje), of Egypt, 300

---- probably the asp of the ancients, 300

Harpy eagle (Thrasaëtes harpya), 380

Hau, or Bow Island, 289

---- ---- ---- dreary monotony of a life at, 289

---- ---- ---- laziness of the natives of, 289

---- ---- ---- their customs, 290

Hawk, the sparrow, of Africa (Melierca musicus), 383

Hawksbill turtle (Chelonia imbricata), 329

Hercules beetles (Megasomina Hercules) of torrid America, 206

Hill-star, white-sided, 347

Hippopotamus, the Behemoth of the Book of Job, 417

---- its diminishing numbers, 417

---- its ugliness, 418

---- description of it, 418

---- ‘rogue hippopotami,’ or ‘bachelors,’ 419

---- intelligence and memory of the hippopotamus, 419

---- uses of its skin and teeth, 420

---- methods of killing it, 422

Hog, the chief enemy of the rattlesnake, 290

Honduras, mahogany trees of, 129

Honey-ants of Mexico (Myrmecocystus Mexicanus), their singular
habits, 240

Honey-eaters of Australia (Melithreptes), 369, 375

---- their nests, 369

Hottentots, fondness of the lion for the flesh of, 448

Howling monkey, or aluates, 512

Huachua goose (Chloéphaga melanoptera), 28

Huallaga river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Huanacu, the, of Peru, 24

Humming-birds, 342, 346

---- ---- their wide range over the New World, 343

---- ---- their habits, 349

---- ---- their courage, 349

---- ---- their enemies, 363

Huniman, the (Semnopithecus entellus), 504

Hurricanes, 9

Hyæna, the, 463

---- hunting, 463, 464

---- varieties of the, 465

Hyphæne coriacea of Port Natal, 160

---- Thebaica, or doum palm, 157

Ibises, 357

---- of Egypt, 361

Iça river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Icebergs, wanderings of, 266

Ichneumon, or mongoos, his destruction
of venomous serpents, 304, 305

Icosandra Gutta, furnishes the gutta
percha of commerce, 191

Iguana tuberculata, 314

Illanuns of Mindanao, 256

India, bamboos of, 130

---- the indigo of, 192, 193

India-rubber tree (Ficus elastica), singular formation of the roots of
the, 139. _See_ Caoutchouc

Indian forests, the Nepenthes of the, 12

Indians, wild, of tropical America, 62

---- Botocudo Indians attacking a jaguar, 62

---- physical conformation and moral characteristics of the Indians of
tropical America, 63, 64

---- their powers of endurance, 63

---- their stoical indifference and taciturnity, 65

---- their means of subsistence, 65

---- not permitted to marry till they prove their ability in
the chase, 67

---- their clothing, 68

---- their painting, tattooing, and religion, 69

---- the moon as the abode of abundance, 69

---- the Botuto, or holy trumpet, 70

---- the Indians of Brazil and Guiana, 70

---- vindictive ferocity of the Ottomachas, 71

---- the extinct tribes of the Atures, 72

---- dwellings of the Indians, 73

---- tattooing, 74

---- horrid custom of disinterment, 74

---- the Purupurus and their skin disease, 75

---- their palhetas, 75

---- the Mandrucus and Parentintins, 76

---- the Caribs and Botocudos, 76, 77

---- work of the women in their migrations, 78

---- the evil spirit Tanchon, 78

---- similarity of the North American Indians to the Bedouin Arabs, 119

Indigo plant (Indigofera tinctoria), Bengalese cutting the
plant, 192, 193

---- ---- mode of cultivation, 192

---- ---- and of preparing the colour, 193

Insects, tropical, size of the, 205

---- of the Sikkim mountains, 84

---- of the tropical world, 205

---- insect plagues, 221

---- the universal dominion of, 221

---- mosquitoes, 222

---- the Œstrus hominis, 225

---- the chegoe, pique, or jigger, 225

---- Filaria medinensis, 226

---- the bête rouge, 227

---- blood-sucking ticks, 227

---- land-leeches of Ceylon, 228

---- the tsetse-fly, 229

---- the Tsalt-salya, or zimb, 230

---- the Soudan fly, 230

---- the locust, 231

---- cockroaches, 233

---- tropical insects directly useful to man, 234

---- ants of the tropics, 234

---- silk-worms, 249

---- cochineal, 250, 251

---- the gum-lac insect, 251

---- eaten by man, 251

---- worn as ornaments, 252

---- similarity of some to the soil or object on which they are found;
the walking-leaf and walking-stick insects, 208

---- luminous, 210

---- ants and termites, 234, 241

---- spiders and scorpions, 211, 218

Island of Ascension, 328

---- Banda, 199, 200

---- Ceylon, 146

---- Madeira, 123

Islands:--

---- Bahamas, 328

---- Coral, 266, 275

---- Feejee, 329

---- Galapagos or Tortoise, 321

---- Keeling, 329

---- Kingsmill, 6

---- Sandwich, 281

---- Tortoise or Galapagos, 321

Jacana (Parra jacana), the, or surgeon-bird, 358

Jackal, the, of the Sahara, 456

Jagua Palm, elegance of the, 160

Jaguar (Gueparda jubata, guttata), 458

---- his habits in the impenetrable forests of South America, 459

---- his boldness, 458

---- hunting, 459

Jaguar said to possess the power of fascination, 462

Jamaica, pimento of, 203

Jaguarundi (Felis jaguarundi), 463

Java sparrow, or rice-bird (Loxia oryzivora), 164

---- extent of the coffee culture in, 181

---- the mormolyce of, 210

Javanese mormolyce, 209

Jelly-fish of the tropics, 274

Jiboya, or boa constrictor, 301

Jigger of the West Indies (Pulex penetrans), 225

Job, his description of Behemoth, 417

Jriarteas, roots of the, 143

Junghuhn, his explorations in Java, 154

Jungle-fowl (Megapodius tumulus), mound-like nest of the, 373

Jurua river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Jutay river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Kaffirs, their acuteness, 519

Kalahari, causes of drought in the, 85, 86

---- abundance of vegetation in the, 86

---- singular and useful plants of the, 87

---- Bushmen and Bakalahari of the, 88, 89

Kalongs, or fox-bats, of Java, 491

Kangaroo, Australians hunting the, 473, 474

Kaross, or skin dress of the deserts of South Africa, 92

Keeling Island, method of catching turtles on, 329

Kengwe (Cucumis Caffer), of the Kalahari, 87

Kilda, St., intrepidity of the natives of, 270

Kingsmill Islands, perennial rainy season of the, 6

Klippspringer (Oreofragus saltatrix), 411

Klipdachs, the, 382

Koodoo (A. Strepsiceros), of South Africa, 88, 411

Kordofan, baobab trees of, 103

---- delebl palms of, 158

Kunthia montana, height at which it will grow, 160

---- sent on rafts from Canton to Pekin, for the Emperor, 173

Lac, or gum-lac, 251

---- insect, the, 251

Lamellicorns, tropical, 205

Land-crabs, 272

Land leeches of Ceylon, 228

Lar, the, of Siam and Malacca, 503

Lauricocha, mountain lake of, 36

Leaf-like insects, 208, 209

Lecaniun coffeæ, or coccus of the coffee tree, 182

Leeches, land, of Ceylon, the plague of, 228

Leguminosas of tropical forests, 81

Lemur, slow-paced, 516

---- handed, 516

Leopard, the, 457

---- the hunting leopard, or cheetah, 458

Leucopholis bimaculata, 207

Libellula lucretia, a South American dragon-fly, 267

Licli, the, a bird of the Puna, 28

Lion, not a noble animal, 448

---- his conflicts with travellers on Mount Atlas, 447

---- his fondness for the flesh of the Hottentot, 448

---- hunting, 449

---- different species of the, 453

Litchi (Nephelium litchi), of China and Cochin China, 172

Lithophytes, or stone polyps, 275

Livingstone, Dr., his adventure with a lion, 450

Lizards of the Peruvian sand-coast, 35

---- their vast numbers in the tropics, 310

---- the gecko, 311

---- the anolis, 310, 312

---- chameleons, 313

---- iguanas, 314

---- guanas, 314

---- monitor-lizard, 315

---- water-lizards, 316

---- flying-dragons, 317, 318

---- the basilisk, 318

---- peculiar, of the Galapagos Islands, 321

Llama, its use to the ancient Peruvians, 23

---- the only animal domesticated by the aboriginal Americans, 23

---- its similarity to the dromedary of the Old World, 23

Llanos, the, of Venezuela and New Grenada, their extent, 11

---- their aspect in the dry season, 11

---- torpor of animal life in the, 13

---- and in the rainy season, 17

---- their appearance at the end of the rainy period, 18

Locust (Gryllus migratorius), description of the, 231

Locusts, vast numbers of them, 231

---- superstition of the Moslems respecting them, 231

---- Southey’s description of them, 232

---- eaten by man in the Sahara and South Africa, 251

Lodoicea Sechellarum, nuts of the, 154

Loggerhead turtle (Chelonia caouana), 331

Logwood, value of, 193

---- a native of America, 193

---- logwood cutters, their mode of life, 194

---- disputes with the Spaniards, 194

Lomas, or chains of hills, which bound the east of the sand-coast of
Peru, 33

---- the pasture-grounds of the Lomeros, 33

---- beasts of prey in the Lomas, 33

Lonthoir, nutmeg trees of, 228

Loris, the, 516

Luminous beetles, 210

Lum tree of Ualan, singular formation of the roots of the, 143

Lybian desert, mirage of the, 13

Lyre-bird, 362

Maca, a tuberous plant, cultivated by the Indians in the high
table-lands of Peru and Bolivia, 23

Macauba palm trees, encased by parasitic fig trees, 137

Macaw, or Ara (Macrocercus macao), 397

Mace of commerce, 202

Maco Indians, 70

Macus Indians, urari or wourali poison prepared by the, 68

Madagascar, traveller-tree of (Ravenala speciosa), uses of the, 169

Madeira river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Mahogany tree (Swietenia mahagoni) of British Honduras and Balize, 129

---- ---- value of the wood of the, 129

Maimon monkey, 509

Maize, cultivation of, 165

---- imported from America by Columbus, 165

---- its present cultivation in the eastern hemisphere, 165

---- its magnificent growth, 165

---- its enormous productiveness, 165

---- the harvest of, 166

---- its wide zone of cultivation, 166

Maldive Isles, mysterious nuts of the 154

Malayan race, the, 253

Malayan race, physical conformation of, 253

---- their betel-chewing, 254

---- their manners and customs, 254

---- accounts of them by travellers, 254

---- their intelligence and civilisation, 255

---- Rajah Brooke’s account of them, 255

---- their daring piratical excursions, 256

---- inveterate gamblers, 257

---- the Illanuns of Mindanao and the Balagnini of the vicinity
of Sooloo, 256

---- their fondness for cock-fighting, 257

---- running a-muck, 258

---- bad agriculturists and artisans, but excellent sportsmen, 258

---- their ignorance, and its results, 259

---- knowledge and civilization of the Battas, 259

---- their cannibalism, and its origin, 259

---- men eaten alive, 260

---- the Begus, or evil spirits, 260

---- the religious feelings of the people, 261

---- their aërial dwellings, 261

---- funeral ceremonies of the Battas, 262

---- the Dyaks of Borneo, and their customs, 263

---- their head houses and atrocious murders, 263

---- the same atrocities of other islanders, 263

---- customs of the Minkokas of Celebes, 263

---- their sumpitans, or blow-pipes, 264

---- their houses and villages, 264

---- their hospitality and truthfulness, 264

---- Mrs. Ida Pfeiffer’s account of them, 265

Malay bear (Ursus malayanus), its love of cocoa-nuts, 149

Manakins (Pipra) of Guiana and Brazil, 351

Mandrill, the, 509, 510

Mandioca root, 169

Mandrucu Indians, 76

Mango (Mangifera indica), fruit of the, 173

---- varieties grown at Kew gardens, 173

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), 173

---- its flowers and delicious fruit, 173

Mangrove tree (Rhizophora gymnorrhiza, R. Mangle), 140

Mangrove tree, its peculiarities of growth and adaptation to
its site, 140

---- ---- its importance in furthering the growth of land, 140, 141

---- ---- animal life in the mangrove forests, 141–143

Manis pentadactyla, 482, 485

Mantichora mygaloides, 205

Mantis, or soothsayer, its habits, 208, 209

---- names by which it is known, 209

Mantides, 208

Mantis religiosa, 209

Maquiritani Indians, 70

Marajo Island, size of the, 38

Marañon river. _See_ Amazons

Marantea arundinacea, arrowroot made from the, 170

Marimonda, the (Ateles Belzebub), 513

Mauritia palm, 18, 19

---- ---- its importance to the South American Indian, 19

Mauritius, tornado in, 9

---- cultivation of nutmegs in, 201

Maysunah, song of, 109

Medanos, or sand hillocks, of the coast of Peru, 32

Mediterranean, the Cactus Opuntia of the, 134

Melocacti, the pulp of the, 134

Menura, or lyre-bird, 362

Menzaleh, Lake, flamingoes caught in nets on the banks of, 361

Mesembryanthemum, its admirable adaptation to the deserts of Africa, 87

---- various kinds of, 87

Mexico, Gulf of, influence of the heated plains of, in deflecting the
trade-winds, 8

---- geological formation of, 79

---- the _tierra caliente_, or lowlands of, 80

---- vegetable and animal life of, 81

---- the _tierra templada_, 81

---- the _tierra fria_, 82

---- the Agave Americana of, 132

---- the pulque of, 132

---- cultivation of vanilla in, 184

---- the honey ant of, 240

Millet (Sorghum vulgare), cultivation of, 166

Mimosas of the tropics, their beauty, 134

Minkokas of Celebes, customs of the, 263

Mirage in the llanos in the dry season, 13

---- causes of the, 13

Miriki monkey (Ateles hypoxanthus) of Brazil, 67

Mocking-bird of Mexico (Cassicus persicus), 354

Mokuri plant, its importance to the inhabitants of the Kalahari, 87

Molluscs of the tropics, 274

Mongoos, or ichneumon, 304, 305

Monitor-lizard (Tejus monitor), 102, 315

Monkey-bread tree. _See_ Baobab

Monkeys and apes of the primitive forests, 496

---- their destruction of the sugar-cane, 176

---- of the Old World, 496

---- their climbing powers, 497

---- bad pedestrians, 497

---- contrasted and compared with man, 498

---- the chimpanzee, 499

---- the gorilla, 500–502

---- the uran, or wild man of the woods, 502

---- gibbons, 503

---- the semnopitheci, 504

---- the proboscis monkey, 504

---- the huniman, 504

---- the wanderoos of Ceylon, 505

---- the colobi and cercopitheci, 505

---- the magots of Gibraltar, 508

---- the baboon, 508, 509

---- the maimon, 509

---- the mandrill and drill, 509

---- wide difference between the monkeys of the New and Old World, 511

---- the aluate, or howling monkey, 512

---- the spider monkey, 512, 513

---- sakis, or fox-tailed monkeys, 513

Monsoon, the north-east, 17

---- the south-west, 8

---- effects of the sea monsoon on the ordinary course of the
trade-winds, 8

Montgomery, Mr., his introduction of gutta percha into Europe, 191

Mora excelsa of the forests of Guiana, description of the, 129

---- nest of the toucan in the, 129

Mormolyce, the Javanese, 210

Mountain-taro, its habitat, 171

Mosquitoes, 222

---- of the Amazons, 45

---- ferocious, of the river Seuza, 222

---- and of tropical America, 222

---- migration of, 224

Moth, Atlas, of Ceylon, 207

Mule, the ‘ship of the desert’ in Peru, 31

Mulgrave Archipelago, importance of the screw pine of the, 133

Musa paradisaica, 167

Musa sapientum, 167

---- textilis, 169

Musaceæ, the, 167, 169

---- various uses of, 169

Musk-deer on the slopes of the Sikkim mountains, 84

Mutasen, the Caliph El, story of, 111

Mygales, or trap-door spiders, 218

Myrtus pimenta, 203

Naja Haje of Egypt, 300

Namaqua country, reason why droughts are prevalent in the, 86

Negro, Rio, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

---- ---- cause of its name, 39

Negroes, causes of the inferiority of their civilisation, 518

---- natural capabilities of the negroes, 519

---- difficulty arising from the geographical position of Africa, 520

---- and from the political position of it, 521

---- Mahometanism and fetissism, 523

---- their diseases attributed by the fetissist to ‘possession,’ 525

---- their belief in sorcery, 525

---- their chief religious observances, 526

---- human sacrifices in Ashantee and Dahomey, 526, 527

---- provision for the wants of the dead, 527

---- painting or tattooing the body, 528

---- the disfigurement of the pelélé, 528

---- authority of the priest, conjuror, or medicine man among them, 529

---- offerings to the sea at Bonny, 530

---- idleness of the negroes, 531

---- style of saltation in East Africa, 532

---- African slavery, and a slave-hunting expedition, 533

---- a slave caravan at Chartum, 534

---- belief of, respecting death, 74

Nelumbias of the tropics, 137

Nepenthes, the, of the East Indian forests, 12

Noddy bird (Sterna stolida), its attacks on the cocoa-nut tree, 149

Nopal (Cactus opuntia), the, of the shores of the Mediterranean, 134

Nutmegs, cultivation of, confined by the Dutch to Banda, Lonthoir, and
Pulo Aij, 199, 200

---- their present extended range, in Sumatra, Mauritius, Bourbon,
and Ceylon, 201

---- description of the tree, 201

Nutmegs, mode of cultivation, 202

Nyctopitheci, or nocturnal monkeys, 514

Nylghau, the (A. picta), 412

Nymphæas of the tropics, 137

Obydos, Strait of, 37

Ocelot (Felis pardalis), the, 463

Odontolabris Cuvera, of China, 205, 206

Œnocarpus disticha, oil of the, 159

Œstrus hominis, 225

Oil made from palm trees of West Africa, 157, 158

---- of the Corozo palm, 159

---- of the Œnocarpus disticha, 160

Opossum of the sand-coast of Peru, 34

Orchids, flowering, of the slopes of Sikkim, 83

Orellana, Francis, his voyage and treachery to Pizarro, on
the Amazons 51

Organist bird (Troglodytes leucophrys), 356

---- his song, 356

Oricou, or sociable vulture (Vultur auricularis), 381

Origma rubricata, 370

Orinoco river, 37

Oriolus varius, 352

---- nest of the, 353

Orotava, in Teneriffe, gigantic dragon tree near, 123

Oscollo (Felis celigaster), the, 463

Ostrich, its endurance of thirst, 75

---- mode of hunting it, 368

---- its speed, 385

---- mode of catching it, 386

---- its stratagem for protecting its young, 386

---- its enemies, 386

---- its young, 387

---- its resemblance to the camel, 387

---- its voracity, 388

---- its feathers, 388

---- domesticated in Algeria, 388

---- analogies between the giraffe and ostrich, 408

---- an Arab Legend respecting it, 389,390

Ottomacas Indians, 70

---- become ‘dirt-eaters,’ 71

---- the country they inhabit, 71

Ouistitis, or squirrel monkeys, 515

Owl, burrowing (Athene cunicularia), of the Peruvian sand-coast, 34

---- the pearl, of the same region, 34

Pacific Ocean, limits of the trade-winds in the, 4

Pacific Ocean, causes of the distribution of rain on the Pacific off
Central America, 8

---- ---- violent tropical storms of, 9

Palhetas of the Purupurus, 75

Pallah (Antilope melampus), always found near water, 88

Palm-martin (Paradoxus typus or Pougouni), its fondness for
cocoa-nuts, 147

---- stalks of, used as arrows, 67

Palm-squirrel (Sciurus palmarum), its fondness for cocoa-nuts, 149

Palm trees, 146

---- the cocoa-nut tree, 146

---- the sago palm, 150

---- the saguer or gomuti, 150

---- the areca palm, 151

---- the palmyra palm, 151

---- the talpot or talipot palm, 153

---- cocoa de mer, 153

---- date palms, 154

---- doum palms, 157

---- oil palms, 157, 158

---- the Carnauba (Corypha cerifera), 158

---- the Ceroxylon andicola, 159

---- the cabbage palm, 159

---- the corozo, 159

---- the pirijao and piaçava palms, 160

---- cabeza di negro, 160

---- different physiognomy of palms according to their heights, 160

---- position and form of their fronds, 160

Palma Real of the Havana, beauty of the, 161

Palmyra palm (Borassus flabelliformis), extent of its range, 151

---- ---- its uses to man, 151, 152

---- treatment of the toddy-drawer, 152

Pangolin, the Indian (Manis pentadactyla), 482, 485

Panther, the, 457

Pao Barrigudo (Chorisia ventricosa), singular shape of the, 134

Paper, Chinese, material of which it is made, 131

---- made from the talipot tree of Ceylon, 153

Papuans, their dwelling-places, 276

---- their physical and moral characteristics, 276, 277

---- compared with the Malays, 277

---- their food and clothing, 277, 278

---- their immense houses in New Guinea, 278

---- their political institutions, 279

---- their agriculture and weapons, 279

---- their mode of fighting, 279

---- future prospects of the race, 280

Para, perennial rainy season of, 6

Para, population of, 49

Paradise, great bird of (P. apoda), 363, 364

---- fables respecting, 364

Paradoxus typus or Pougouni, 134

Paraguay, constant east winds of, 5

Parentintin Indians, 76

Paroquets, or parakeets, 398

---- ring and green, 398

Parrots of the Peruvian sand-coasts, 34

---- their peculiar manner of climbing, 392

---- their resemblance to monkeys, 392

---- their food, 393

---- their sociability, 393

---- their connubial love, 394

---- their powers of mimicry, 394

---- African (Psittacus erithacus), 394

---- his dreams and memory, 395

---- American Indian mode of catching them, 395

---- various species of them, 395, 396

---- the colours of, artificially changed, 396

Parsley, a deadly poison to parrots, 416

Pasco, Cerro de, 37

Peacock, Javanese, the, 360

Pebas, heavy fall of rain at, 8

Peireskia of the Lake of Titicaca, 134

Pepper, 202

---- description of the vine, 202

---- mode of cultivation, 202

---- its habitat, 202

---- the black and white sorts, 202

Peradenia, india-rubber trees of the garden of, 139

Peru, the Puna, or high table-lands of, 20

---- Puna chases in the times of the Incas, 27

---- the Lomas of, 33

---- the sand-coast of, 29

---- extreme dryness of the soil in the northern coast districts of, 33

---- animal world of the coast, 33

---- the Guano or Chincha Islands, 35

Peruvian stream, influence of the, on climate, 36. _See_ Amazons

Pfeiffer, Mrs. Ida, her account of the Malays, 265

Phasmas, the herbivorous, 208, 209

Pheasant, Argus, 360

Phœnix dactylifera, or date palm, 153

Phylliums, the herbivorous, 208, 209

Phyllosomas, 272

Phyllostomidæ, 492

---- their food, 492

Physalia, or ‘Portuguese man-of-war,’ 274, 275

Phytelephas (Cabeza di Negro), hard white nuts of the, 160

Piaçava palm (Attalia funifera), uses of the nuts and fibres of the, 160

Pichiciago (Chlamyphorus truncatus), of the Andes, 488

Pig-faced baboon, 510

Pimento, or allspice (Myrtus pimenta), 203

---- cultivation of the plant, 203

---- its habitat, 203

Pine-apple (Bromelia ananas), its abundance in Brazil, 132

Pines, the screw, of the East Indian and South Sea Isles, 133

---- their importance to the inhabitants of the Mulgrave Archipelago, 133

Pippul tree of India. _See_ Bo tree

Pipra, the, 366

Pique, or Jigger, of the West Indies, (Pulex penetrans), 225

Pitcairn Island, storm and famine in, 9

Plantain (Musapara disiaca), its importance as food, 167

---- luxuriance of the plant, 168

Podada tree of the river banks of Borneo, 210

Polanarrua, climbing fig trees of, 136, 137

Polynesian fishermen, 276

---- race, the, 280

---- their degree of civilisation, 281

---- their physical characteristics, 281

---- their languages, 281

---- their cultivation of the taro, 281

---- food of the various classes, 281

---- their intoxicating beverage, kava, 282

---- their dresses of tapa, 282

---- their desire for adornment, 282

---- their canoes and basket-work, 282

---- their joiners’ work, 283

---- admirable swimmers, 283

---- their dwellings, 284

---- their form of government, 284

---- the Tabu, 285

---- the Polynesian gods, 286, 287

---- their infanticide, 286

---- influence of European customs, 288, 289

Pongo de Manseriche, defile of, 36

Porcupine ant-eater (Echidna hystrix), 488

Pororocca, or spring-tide wave of the Amazons, 38

‘Portuguese man-of-war,’ 275

Potato, the Spanish or sweet (Convolvulus batatas), 170

---- its spontaneous multiplication, 170

---- propagation of, 170

Pothos family of epiphytes of the tropical forests, 137

---- beauty of the leaves, 137

Prêcheur insect, 209

Prie Dieu, Le, insect, 209

Priest, conjuror, or medicine man of the negroes, 529

Proboscis monkey, the (Semnopithecus nasicus), 504

Pterois volitans, 271

Ptilotus sonorus, 370

Pulex penetrans of the West Indies, 225

Pulque, or Mexican agave wine, 132

Puma, or couguar, in the high table-lands of tropical America, 28, 462

Puna, or ‘Uninhabited’ high table-lands of Peru and Bolivia, 20

---- their contrast with the Llanos, 20

---- violent changes in their temperature, 21

---- plagues of the Puna, 21

---- vegetable life of the, 22

---- animal life, 23–28

---- chases in the times of the Incas, 27

---- beasts of prey of the, 28

---- birds of the, 28

---- flocks and herds of the Puna valleys, 28

---- the mountain valleys, 28

Purus, river, a tributary of the Amazons, 37

Quagga, the, of South Africa, 414

Queñua tree (Polylepis racemosa) in the Puna, 23

Quito, perennial rainy season of, 6

Rain, abundance and distribution of, within the torrid zone, 4

---- causes which produce an abundance or want of, 4

---- heavy afternoon showers of the zone of calms, 6

---- zone of two distinct rainy seasons, 7

---- and of one rainy season, 7

---- immense quantity of, in the tropics, 8

---- no rain in the northern coast-districts of Peru, 35

---- the garua or drizzling rain of Peru, 32

Rarotonga Island, devastation of, by a tropical storm, 9

Rat, its attacks on the cocoa-nut tree, 149

---- its destructive ravages in sugar plantations, 177

---- the Golunda, or coffee rat, 182

Ratans, their immense length, 154

---- uses of, 154

Rat-snake of Ceylon (Coryphodon Blumenbachii), domesticated, 308

---- its agility in seizing its prey, 308

Rattlesnakes, 297, 298

---- their rattle, 298

---- different species, 298

---- their chief enemy, 298

---- eaten by Indians, 298

Reedbok (Electragos arundinaceus), 410

Red River, mosquitoes of, 233

Rehoboth, larvæ of locusts in myriads at, 255

Reptiles of the Peruvian sand-coast, 41

---- of the tropics, 310

Rhamphastidæ, 360

Rhea Americana, 390

---- Darwinii, 390

Rhinoceros, the, its brutality and stupidity, 423

---- different species of, 423

---- food and dispositions of the black and white kinds, 424

---- their ugliness, 424

---- their size, 424

---- their acuteness of smell and hearing, 425

---- defective vision, 425

---- their friend the Buphaga Africana, 425

---- their paroxysms of rage, 426

---- their nocturnal habits, 426

---- rhinoceros-hunting and its perils, 427

---- the Indian rhinoceros, 429

---- the Sumatran kind, 430

---- the Javanese rhinoceros, 430

---- mode of killing it, 430

Rhinolophi, or horse-shoe bats, 493

Rhododendron nivale, great elevation at which it grows, 84

Rhododendrons, region of the Alpine, in the Sikkim mountains, 83

Rice (Oryza sativa), 165

---- original seat of its cultivation, 165

---- various aspects of the rice-fields at different seasons, 164

Rice-bird or Java sparrow (Loxia oryzivora), 164

Rivers of the tropics:--

---- Amazons, 5 _et seq._

---- Barima, Upper, 130

---- Berbice, 137

---- Coary, 37

---- Guama, 137

---- Huallaga, 37

---- Iça, 37

---- Jurua, 37

---- Jutay, 37

---- Madeira, 37

---- Marañon, 5 _et seq._

---- Negro, 37, 46

Rivers of the tropics, _continued_:--

---- Orinoco, 37

---- Purus, 37

---- Tapajos, 38

---- Teffee, 37

---- Tunguragua, 36

---- Ucayale, 37

---- Xanavi, 37

---- Xingu, 38

---- Yapura, 37

---- prolific quality of the rivers of South America, 66

Rock-warbler of Australia, 371

Roots of trees, singular formation of the, 143

Ruby-throated humming-bird, 349

Ruminants, tropical, 399

Sacrifices, human, of the negroes, 527

Sago-palm (Sagus farmiferus), the, of the Indian Archipelago, 150

---- ---- treatment of the, 150

---- ---- mushrooms growing on the, 150

Saguer, or Gomuti palm (Gomutus vulgaris), uses to which it is put, 150

Sahara, the, 4, 93

---- constant drought of the, 4

---- north-easterly winds of, 5

---- its uncertain limits, 93

---- its desolate appearance, 94

---- chasms and mountain streams, 94

---- deposits of salt, 94

---- the oases of the wilderness, 94

---- tribes of the Sahara, 94

---- contrast between the sterile desert and the oases, 95

---- grandeur of the desert scene, 95

---- its fascination for the traveller, 96

---- sandspouts, or trombs, in it, 97

---- the simoom, 98

---- sandspouts, 97, 98

---- the chase of the gazelle in the, 101

---- animals of, 101, 102

---- periodical rains of the, 103

---- the Tuaregs and Tibbos of the, 103

---- caravans of the, 103

---- barrier caused by the desert to civilisation, 521

Saïmiris monkey, the, 514

Sakis, or fox-tailed monkeys, 513

Sand-reed (Ammophila arundinacea), of the coasts of the Kalapari, 87

Sandwich Islands, verdure of, 6

---- Islanders, food of the, 281

Saüba, or Coushie ant (Oecodoma cephalotes), 236

---- ---- ---- the enemy of the banana and cassava plantations, 236

Savannahs of South America during the dry season, 13

---- a savannah on fire, 14

---- their aspect during the rainy season, 15

---- and at the end of the rainy period, 15

Saw-bill humming-bird, 317

Scalaria pretiosa, 274

Schomburgk, Richard, his discovery of the Victoria Regia, 137

Scorpions, immense size of, in the torrid zone, 218

---- fatal effects of their bite, 219

---- their habitat, 219

---- their suicidal propensities, 219

---- their ferocity and cruelty, 220

Scotophilus Coromandelicus, the, 494

Screw-pines. _See_ Pines

Sea-birds, tropical, 267

---- of the Peruvian sand-coast, 35

---- arctic, 266

Seals of the Peruvian sand-coast, 35

Secretary-bird, his destruction of snakes, 302

Secretary-eagle (Serpentarius cristatus), his destruction of snakes, 302

Semnopitheci, the, 504

Senegambia, light-coloured races at, 522

Sensitive plants of Brazil, 135

Sericornis citreogularis, 370, 371

Serpents. _See_ Snakes

Shark, the white, his ferocity, 271

Sherbet, the doum palm used for the preparation of, 157

Ship of the desert. _See_ Camel

Siamang of Sumatra, the, 503

Sikkim mountains, slopes of the, 82

---- ---- sylvan wonders of the, 82

---- ---- changes of the forests on ascending, 83

---- ---- the torrid zone of vegetation, 83

---- ---- the temperate zone, 84

---- ---- the coniferous belt, 84

---- ---- limits of arboreal vegetation, 84

---- ---- animal life, 84

---- ---- firing the jungle in, 131

Silk-worm (Bombyx mori), its importance to man, 249

---- antiquity of silk in China, 249

---- silk of other worms, 249

Simoom, the, of the Sahara, 98, 99

Sloth, the, 477

---- his miserable appearance, 477

---- adaptation of his organisation to his peculiar mode of life, 478

---- his means of defence, 478

---- his tenacity of life, 480

---- genera of the sloth, 480

Snake-tree (Ficus elastica), the, 139

Snakes of the Peruvian sand-coast, 35

---- of the tropical forests, 293

---- comparative rareness of venomous, 293

---- habits of venomous, and their external characteristics, 294

---- bite of the trigonocephalus, 295

---- antidotes, 295

---- fangs of venomous serpents, 296

---- the enormous bush-master, 297

---- the brown viper (Echidna ocellata), 297

---- the rattlesnake, 297

---- the Cobra di Capello, 298

---- the asp and viper, 300

---- boas and pythons, 301

---- enemies of, 302

---- sometimes feed on one another, 304

---- their means of locomotion, 305

---- anatomy of their jaws, 306

---- feeding-time at the Zoological Gardens, 307

---- useful and agreeable to man, 308

---- adaptability of their colour to their pursuits, 309

---- water, 309

Sorcery of the negroes, 526

Soudan, destructive fly of, 230

South Sea Islands, verdure of, 6

---- ---- ---- screw pine of the, 133

Sparrow-hawk of Africa (Melierca musicus), 383

Sparrow, Baya, 367

Sperm whales, 267

Spices of the tropics, 197

---- cinnamon, 198

---- nutmegs and cloves, 199

---- pepper, 202

---- pimento, 203

Spiders, tropical, formation of, 211

---- their means of attack and defence, 211, 212

---- spotted spider of Makololo, 212

---- giant webs of several tropical species, 212

---- harmony of colour between the Aranæ and their usual haunts, 212

---- beautiful colouring of the epeiras, 213

---- splendid colours of the spiders of the tropics, 214

---- the mygales, or trap-door, 215

---- retreats of the genus Clubiona, 215

---- maternal instincts of, 216

---- enemies of, 216

---- venom of the, 217

---- services rendered by spiders to man, 217

---- eaten by several savage nations, 217

---- encounter between a spider and a cockroach, 218

Spiders, encounter between a mygale and a humming-bird, 349

Spider monkeys, 536

Spondylus, the royal, 274

Spoonbill of America (Platalea ajaja), 357

Springbok (A. enchora), 409

---- migrations of multitudes of, 409

Spring-tide waves of several rivers, 38

Squirrels, flying, 494

Squirrel monkeys, or ouistitis, 515

Stag-beetle (Odontolabris Cuvera) of China and Northern India, 206

Sternocera chrysis and sternicornis, elytra of, worn as ornaments, 252

Storks, Marabou, use of the, 304

Storms, tropical, violence of, 9

---- tornados and cyclones, 9

Sucuriaba, or water-boa (Eunectes murinus), 301

Sugar, commercial importance of, 174

---- original home of the sugar-cane, 175

---- progress of its cultivation throughout the tropical zone, 175, 176

---- mentioned by several classical authors, 175

---- known to the Greeks and Phœnicians, 175

---- introduced into Europe by the conquests of Alexander the Great, 175

---- and into Madeira by the Portuguese, 175

---- its importance as an article of international trade, 175

---- introduced into the Canary Islands and thence to Hispaniola, 176

---- the Chinese species supplanted by the Tahitian kind, 176

---- description of the cane, 176

---- manufacture of sugar, 176

---- destruction of many enemies, 176

---- the enemies of the sugar-cane, 176

---- diseases of the sugar-cane, 177

---- nutritive qualities of its juice, 177

---- uses of the sugar plantation to the invalid, 178

---- ants, ravages of the, 177, 236

Sumatra, cultivation of nutmegs in, 201

---- rhinoceros of, 447

Sumpitans, Malay, 264

Sun-birds, or suimangas (Cinnyris), 359

Sun-fish, the, 271, 272

Surumpe, or acute inflammation of the eyes in the Puna, 21

Swallow, the esculent (Colocalia esculenta), 269

---- mode of getting the nests, 269, 270

---- the dicæum (Dicæum hirundinaceum), 371

Sword-fishes, 271

Sword-tail fishes, 271, 272

Sycamore tree (Ficus sycomorus), gigantic specimens of the,
in Africa, 124

Tacca pinnatifida, arrowroot made from the, 171

---- ---- in Polynesia, 171

Tahitians, civilisation of, 288

Tailor-bird of Hindostan (Sylvia sutoria), 368

Talegalla, or brush-turkey of Australia, 372

Talpot, or talipot, tree of Ceylon, uses to which it is applied, 153

Tanchon, the Indian evil spirit, 78

Tangaras, the, of the Peruvian sand-coast, 34, 351

---- their flight and song, 351

Tapajos river, a tributary of the Amazons, 38

Taro roots (Caladium esculentum) of the Sandwich Islanders, 171, 281

---- ---- its abundant growth, 171