Two lofty trees, closely allied to each other--the Lecythis ollaria and
the Bertholletia excelsa--produce enormous capsules full of nuts. The
first, called the sapucaya, yields these curious capsules known as
_cuyas de maccao_, or monkeys' drinking-cups. At the top is a circular
hole, to which a natural lid fits exactly. On the nuts becoming ripe
the lid is loosened, and the heavy cup falling to the ground, the nuts
are scattered far and wide, when they are eaten by numerous animals on
the watch for them. The collectors, therefore, have difficulty in
obtaining them. The other tree, known as the Brazil-nut tree, produces
similar wooden vessels; but as they have no lid, they fall entire to the
ground, and are thus preserved till human beings come to collect them,
when they are shipped to England and other parts of the world.