afterwards found them much more numerous on the Maranham road,
especially in one place where the whole forest glade formed a
vast fernery; the ground was covered with terrestrial species,
and the tree trunks clothed with climbing and epiphytous kinds. I
saw no tree ferns in the Para district; they belong to hilly
regions; some occur, however, on the Upper Amazons.

Such were the principal features in the vegetation of the
wilderness; but where were the flowers? To our great
disappointment we saw none, or only such as were insignificant in
appearance. Orchids are very rare in the dense forests of the low
lands. I believe it is now tolerably well ascertained that the
majority of forest trees in equatorial Brazil have small and
inconspicuous flowers. Flower-frequenting insects are also rare
in the forest. Of course they would not be found where their
favourite food was wanting, but I always noticed that even where
flowers occurred in the forest, few or no insects were seen upon
them. In the open country or campos of Santarem on the Lower
Amazons, flowering trees and bushes are more abundant, and there
a large number of floral insects are attracted. The forest bees
of South America belonging to the genera Melipona and Euglossa
are more frequently seen feeding on the sweet sap which exudes
from the trees or on the excrement of birds on leaves, rather
than
on flowers.

We were disappointed also in not meeting with any of the larger
animals in the forest. There was no tumultuous movement, or sound
of life. We did not see or hear monkeys, and no tapir or jaguar
crossed our path. Birds, also, appeared to be exceedingly