ngular manner--very singular indeed: since these birds
appeared to _walk upon the water_!

They were tall, long-legged, slender-bodied creatures, and easily
distinguished by both Karl and Caspar, as belonging to the family of
_rallidae_ or water-hens.

There could be no doubt that they were walking on the water--sometimes
slowly, at other times in a quick run--and, what was even more
unaccountable than this, they were seen at times to _stand still upon
the water_! Ay, and, what might be considered more surprising still,
they performed this aquatic feat _upon only one leg_!

The thing might have been more mysterious, had not Karl from the first
suspected the reason why the laws of specific gravity appeared to be
thus contradicted. He suspected the existence of some plant, whose
leaves, lying spread on the surface, perhaps offered a footing for the
birds, sufficiently firm to support the weight of their bodies.

The botanist was only reasoning from remembrance. He had lately read
the account published but a few years before of the discovery of the
gigantic water-lily of tropical America--the _Victoria Regia_--and
remembered how its discoverers had spoken of large birds of the crane
family making their perch upon its huge leaves, and thus supported,
playing about over the surface of the water, as if the firm earth had
been under their feet.

With these facts fresh in his memory, Karl conjectured that the
water-hens seen by him and his companions were supported on a similar
pedestal, and playing themselves on a like platform. His conjecture
proved correct: for on visiting the place shortly after, the broad
orbicular leaves of the _Nelumbium speciosum_ were perceived--almost as
large as those of their South American congener.

Other interesting points relating to the great lily growing in the
Himalayan lake, Karl had mentioned from time to time to his companions:
for he knew that the _Nelumbium speciosum_ was the celebrated
Pythagorean bean mentioned in the writings of the Greeks--more
especially by Herodotus and Theophrastes.

It is described by these writers as growing plentifully in Egypt; and no
doubt was cultivated in that country in their day; though it is not
known there at the present time. It is found represented on the
Egyptian sculptures, and so accurately has it been described by the
Greek writers, as to leave no doubt as to the identification of the
species.

It is one of the plants supposed to be