154 APPENDIX. 



is perhaps the largest in the whole of Guatemala, and consists of mixed trees of the 

 largest size. It is here that Theolroma occurs in a wild state ; many Anonacese, 

 Sapota (?), &c., and palms and ferns in great profusion. Near Peten are forests con- 

 sisting chiefly of palms and also large tracts of logwood. 



" The highest volcano of Guatemala, the Volcan de Fuego, attains an elevation of 

 about 13,100 feet. The summit of the Volcan de Agua is about 12,400 feet above the 

 sea. The latter peak is clothed with grass and a few pines, together with alpine shrubs, 

 Vaccinice, lupins, &c, up to the summit ; but the Volcan de Fuego, owing probably to 

 the looseness of the scoriae, is nearly barren, a little vegetation of ferns, lycopods, &c. 

 only having fixed itself in the crevices of rocks. Lower, on both volcanos, the pine- 

 trees become larger and more numerous, down to an elevation of about 10,200 feet, 

 where they entirely cease very suddenly, and give way to a dense mixed forest, of which 

 the Cheirostemon is one of the most characteristic trees. Large evergreen oaks are 

 prevalent at an elevation of about 7000 to 8000 feet; and at about 7000 feet and below 

 the virgin forest has been destroyed, while below this zone Indian-corn patches alternate 

 with second-growth woods; the latter being cut and burnt from time to time and 

 turned into the former, and the maize-fields allowed to run wild and gradually become 

 woods. But the upper forests suffer from the lower clearings, for the fires starting from 

 the newly-felled clearings often spread into the upper forests and even to the pines 

 above ; and the destruction caused is immense. These fires often last for days in the 

 dry season, and spread over large tracts of the mountain sides. 



" The Volcan de Atitlan somewhat resembles the Agua and Fuego ; but the zones of 

 vegetation are not so clearly marked. The coffee-plantations of San Agustin encroach 

 upon the forest up to an elevation of about 3500 feet ; above that a very rich tract of 

 forest prevails on the southern slope of the mountain, through a large portion of which 

 is a beautiful undergrowth of small palms. The summit of this mountain is nearly 

 bare, but a few plants are to be found in the crevices of the rocks fostered by steam 

 issuing therefrom. 



" The rainy season in Guatemala usually lasts from the middle of May till the middle 

 of October, with an occasional intermission in August. In the more elevated portions 

 of Alta Vera Paz the dry season is of much shorter duration, the rains often lasting till 

 the beginning of March and commencing again at the end of May." 



HONDURAS AND SALVADOR. 



The former, it is estimated, contains 40,000 square miles, and the latter about 11,000 ; 

 yet the total number of species recorded in our Enumeration from the two countries is 

 only 160, and some of these were probably from British Honduras rather than Spanish. 

 Indeed, the only reason for giving these countries a column in the Geographical Tables 

 was to show how little is known concerning their botany. Immense forests exist in 



