THE ELOKA OF GUATEMALA. 153 



an extension of that of Chiapas, and attains its greatest elevation in the north, where it 

 consists of upland plains such as that of Quezaltenango (7000 feet), Chimaltenango 

 (6000 feet), Guatemala (5000 feet), &c, surrounded by high hills, and the outline 

 broken on the side towards the Pacific Ocean by the volcanoes. These highland plains 

 are, for the most part, comparatively free from the denser growth of trees, and are, 

 where not actually cultivated, covered with grass upon which sheep and cattle graze. 

 The surrounding hills are covered with pines and oaks to an elevation of 10,000 to 

 11,000 feet. 



" A dense forest growth covers the slopes of the cordillera towards the Pacific, from 

 an elevation of 5000 or 6000 feet; and this blends with the lowland forests, which are 

 densest and less broken at the foot of the cordillera, but towards the shore of the ocean 

 become more interrupted by forests of palms and other trees and open stretches of rank 

 grass. A long narrow mountain-ridge leaves the cordillera not far from Totonicapam, 

 and at first forms the division between the drainage of the Eio Negro or Chisoy and the 

 Motagua. This ridge again divides — one branch separating the Motagua and Polochic 

 valleys, the other the Polochic and the waters of the Rio Negro and the Rio de la Pasion. 

 The upper part of the valley of the Motagua consists of plains covered chiefly with oaks 

 and pines, the former loaded with orchids and Bromeliaceae. 



" Lower down, the valley contracts, and its sides are covered with scrubby forest 

 mingled with pines, and the upper slopes with oaks, frequently loaded with Tillandsia 

 and many orchids (Pleurothallis, Oncidium, JEpidendrum, &c). The hills then recede, 

 and the valley expands into open and comparatively barren plains covered with 

 Mimosa? and Cacti. This vegetation is again succeeded, rather suddenly, between 

 Zacapa and Gualan by rich virgin forests, and these continue to the Atlantic. The 

 valleys of the Polochic and Cahabon rivers take their rise in Alta Vera Paz, in a rainy 

 district covered with dense vegetation, a large portion of which is under cultivation ; the 

 ancient forests having, for the most part, given place to second-growth woods, which 

 are cut and burnt from time to time for plantations of Indian corn, coffee, sugar, &c. 

 In these valleys we also find patches of pine-forests occupying the spurs of the chains of 

 mountains bounding and dividing the valleys on either side. In the neighbourhood 

 of Cahabon the vegetation is more scanty, and open grassy plains occur. 



" A few leagues above the junction of the Polochic and Cahabon rivers, between 

 Teleman and Panzos, the virgin forest is entered, and this, as in the Motagua valley, 

 continues to the sea, covering the whole country round the lake of Yzabal and the 

 banks of the Rio Dulce. 



" The high ridge bounding the valley of the Cahabon river to the north is clothed with 

 virgin forest near its summit, and this forest spreads continuously northwards without 

 any interruption, to the confines of the Department of Peten. Pine-ridges between the 

 rivers, as in British Honduras, intervene, and the vegetation is probably much like 

 that of British Honduras and Yucatan. Between Peten and Alta Vera Paz the forest 



biol. CENTE.-AMER., Bot. Vol. IV., August 1887. x 



