. To the River Plate and back; the narrative of a scientific mission to South America . bage I noticed some species evidently escapedfrom cultivation, for instance, here and there a straycoffee-plant in full blossom. This child of the Abys-sinian highlands has found a congenial home in theAmerican tropics. But even far more interesting to me on some accountsthan the magnificent vegetation was the wealth ofinsect life. Here I had an opportunity to observeclose at hand those most magnificent of all Southi.\merican butterflies, the morphos, numbers of which Ifound flitting by the pathway. Nothing
. To the River Plate and back; the narrative of a scientific mission to South America . bage I noticed some species evidently escapedfrom cultivation, for instance, here and there a straycoffee-plant in full blossom. This child of the Abys-sinian highlands has found a congenial home in theAmerican tropics. But even far more interesting to me on some accountsthan the magnificent vegetation was the wealth ofinsect life. Here I had an opportunity to observeclose at hand those most magnificent of all Southi.\merican butterflies, the morphos, numbers of which Ifound flitting by the pathway. Nothing in all natureexceeds the brilliancy of these huge blue insects, as theyflutter into the sunlight, suddenly disappearing as theypitch upon the ground or a twig, closing their wingsthe under sides of which, through adaptation to theirenvironment, cause them to be instantly invisible,except to one who is keenly watching them. I cameupon them seated upon the ground, and was unawareof their presence until suddenly, like a gleam of burn-ished metal, their w4ngs flashed open and they flew. Vegetable Dealer, Rio de Janeiro.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbrazild, bookyear1913
