One of the most curious features in a Brazilian forest is the vegetable cordage, or _sipos_, which hang down from every branch, like slack ropes from the rigging of a ship.  Jerry and I several times could not resist having a good swing on them, while the doctor was hunting about for his specimens.  Their roots are in the ground.  They climb up a tree, then hang over a branch and descend, and often twist upward again by their own stem, to descend more than once again to the ground.  We were shown the nests of some diminutive bees.  The nests are not so large as a turkey's egg, while the bodies of the bees are but little thicker than the bodies of mosquitoes.  The comb is of a dark brown colour, and the construction of the nest is somewhat like that of ants.  The only entrance is a small hole, at the mouth of which they construct a tube turning upwards.  This is regularly closed up at night, so that no damp can enter, and it is never opened till the sun has been some time up. The bees have no stings, but they are very brave, and will drive away the ordinary bee from their hives.  A sketch which the doctor took, and finished up afterwards on board, will afford a better idea of the vegetation of a Brazilian forest than any verbal account I can give.