50 THE NATURALIST IX NICARAGUA. [Ch. IV, 



on every fight, and mucli money is lost and won over 

 the sport. 



Like most of the Nicaraguan towns, Acoyapo appears 

 to have been an Indian city before the Spanish con- 

 quest. The name is Indian, and in the plaza Senor Ber- 

 mudez pointed out to me some flat bared rock surfaces, 

 on which were engraved circles and various straight and 

 curved characters, covering the whole face of the rock. 

 Some rude portions of stone statues that have been 

 found in the neighbourhood are also preserved in the 

 town. The Spaniards called the town San Sebastian ; 

 but the more ancient name is likely to prevail, notwith- 

 standing that in all official documents the Spanish one is 

 used. Acoyapo is a grazing district, and there are some 

 large cattle haciendas, especially towards the lake. The 

 town suffers from fever owing to the neighbouring swamp. 

 Much of the land around is very fertile ; but little of it 

 is cultivated, as the people are indolent, and content if 

 they make a bare livelihood. We left Acoyapo about 

 three o'clock : our road lay up the river, which we crossed 

 three times. Excepting near the river, the country was 

 very thinly timbered ; and it was pleasant, after riding 

 across the open plains, exposed to the hot rays of the 

 sun, to reach the shady banks of the stream, by which 

 grew many high thick-foliaged trees, with lianas hang- 

 ing from them, and broinelias, orchids, ferns, and many 

 other epiphytes perched on their branches. At these 

 spots, too, were various beautiful birds, amongst which 

 the Sisitote, a fine black and orange songster, and a 

 trogon (Trogon melanocephalus, Gould), were the most 

 conspicuous. 



We reached and crossed a high range, from the 



