Transcriber’s Notes Boldface text is indicated by =equals signs=; italic text is indicated by _underscores_. To improve readability in the Plain Text version of this eBook, shillings and pence in the Catalog are shown as normal, upright text, even though they originally were printed in italics. Other Notes will be found at the end of this eBook. THE TROPICAL WORLD. LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET [Illustration: PRIMITIVE FOREST.] THE TROPICAL WORLD: ASPECTS OF MAN AND NATURE IN THE EQUATORIAL REGIONS OF THE GLOBE. BY DR. G. HARTWIG, AUTHOR OF ‘THE SEA AND ITS LIVING WONDERS,’ ‘THE SUBTERRANEAN WORLD,’ ‘THE HARMONIES OF NATURE,’ AND ‘THE POLAR WORLD.’ _WITH EIGHT CHROMOXYLOGRAPHIC PLATES AND NUMEROUS WOODCUTS._ NEW EDITION. LONDON: LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1873. _All rights reserved._ PREFACE. The numerous alterations I have made in this new edition of the ‘Tropical World,’ both by the attentive revision of its former contents, and the addition of new chapters descriptive of the chief characteristics of the various tropical races of man; as well as the care I have taken to condense as much information as possible within narrow limits, will, I hope, justify my assertion that I have done my best to please indulgent readers, and to merit the favourable verdict of severer critics. Dr. HARTWIG. Salon Villas, Ludwigsburg (Würtemburg): _March 10, 1873_. CONTENTS. Page CHAPTER I. THE DIVERSITY OF CLIMATES WITHIN THE TROPICS. Causes by which it is produced--Abundance and Distribution of Rain within the Tropics--The Trade Winds--The Belt of Calms-- Tropical Rains--The Monsoons--Tornados--Cyclones--Typhoons-- Storms in the Pacific--Devastations caused by Hurricanes on Pitcairn Island and Rarotonga 1 CHAPTER II. THE LLANOS. Their Aspect in the Dry Season--Vegetable Sources--Sand Spouts-- Effects of the Mirage--A Savannah on Fire--Opening of the Rainy Season--Miraculous Changes--Exuberance of Animal and Vegetable Life--Conflict between Horses and Electrical Eels--Beauty of the Llanos at the Termination of the Rainy Season--The Mauritia Palm 11 CHAPTER III. THE PUNA, OR THE HIGH TABLE-LANDS OF PERU AND BOLIVIA. Striking Contrast with the Llanos--Northern Character of their Climate--The Chuñu--The Surumpe--The Veta: its Influence upon Man, Horses, Mules, and Cats--The Vegetation of the Puna--The Maca--The Llama: its invaluable Services--The Huanacu--The Alpaca--The Vicuñas: Mode of Hunting Them--The Chacu--The Bolas--The Chinchilla--The Condor--Wild Bulls and Wild Dogs-- Lovely Mountain Valleys 20