nt flower-spikes almost reached the ground. Each
was about six or eight feet long, with large, handsome flowers three
inches across, varying in colour from orange to red, with deep
purple-red spots. Some, indeed, were even longer than that; and we
counted on one thirty-six flowers arranged in a spiral way upon a
slender, thread-like stalk.

A shout from one of the men a short distance behind made us stop.

"Why, that is a rum-looking creature!" exclaimed Dick Tarbox.

"Dat?--dat one big frog with wing!" cried Potto Jumbo, with a loud
laugh.

We turned round, and just at the same moment a companion probably of the
first that had been seen seemed to be flying in a slanting direction
from the bough of a high tree into a small pool which we had noticed as
we passed. Potto sprang forward, and caught it just as it was reaching
the water. It was a curious-looking creature, certainly. The back and
limbs were of a dark shining green colour, while the under surface and
inner toes were yellow. The body was about four inches long, while the
webs of each hind foot, when fully stretched out, covered a surface of
not less than four square inches. Its toes were peculiarly long, and
fully webbed to their extremity, so that, when expanded, they presented
a surface to the air considerably larger than the whole of the body,
which was also capable of being filled out by wind.

"Ah, this is a real flying-frog!" observed our uncle.

However, it was altogether a very curious creature. We were anxious to
preserve it to show to Mr Hooker. It was accordingly consigned to
Roger Trew's bag, our uncle saying that he would preserve it when we
stopped to rest.

The tree-ferns also were very graceful, of various heights and forms,
from eight to fifteen feet high, their tall leaves waving over in the
most picturesque manner.

"We shall soon have a stream to cross," said my uncle, "which I consider
the boundary of my domain. However, as I have made excursions a short
distance beyond it, I have built a bridge that I might get across
without difficulty. You must, however, string up your nerves, as,
probably, you have seldom passed over such a structure. It is exactly
such as I have seen built by the Dyaks in Borneo."

On getting to the banks of the stream it was evident that without a boat
or a bridge we should be unable to cross. We now, however, saw the
means my uncle had contrived. The bridge was made entirely of bamboo.
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