PANAMIC-PACIFIC PELECYPODA 19 



coast trend becomes more southerly until Cabo San Lorenzo is reached, a 

 commanding headland formed of chert and igneous rocks. In this direction, 

 the land rises, and the shore is lined with high cliffs, some of which are 

 impassable even at lowest tide. The heights behind San Lorenzo are fairly 

 wet or humid, and there are small strips of cultivated lands, and good water 

 in springs or small streams is more plentiful. The more flourishing aspect of 

 the country side is shown by the fresher, greener vegetation, and especially 

 by the large clumps of bamboo, poles of which are cut and carried to Manta 

 and other points for general construction. The shore south of San Lorenzo 

 IS for the most part a rock platform planed off by wave action. At Punta 

 Blanca, about five miles below San Lorenzo, the shore cliffs are formed of 

 beds of Pliocene age full of beautiful fossils, many of which are the same 

 as Recent species. This rocky shore ends at Punta Canoa, replaced by a 

 narrow sand beach awash at high water. 



Callo, the port of Jipijapa (center of Montecristi Panama Hat industry) 

 sits at the head of a large coastal indentation, widely open to the north- 

 west, protected only by some outlying rocks and a small island. This is 

 the commencement of the next, large coastal bulge known as Salango, the 

 ocean end of a range of rugged mountains known as the Cordillera de 

 Chongon and Colonche. Along the projected extension of this range out to 

 sea in a northwesterly direction is the small Isla la Plata formed for the 

 most part of igneous rocks and chert, its top shows remnants of several, 

 wave-cut terraces or tablazos, covered locally with a thin veneer of Pleisto- 

 cene deposits. The island is the type locality for many species, first collected 

 by Cuming. Shell collecting is difficult as the shore line is preciptious and 

 there is only one landing spot. Strong currents sweep past the island on both 

 sides. 



Salango, already mentioned, may be reached by a dry-weather road 

 running between Jipijapa to Puerto Lobos and Machililla, or from Manglar- 

 alto if approached from the south. This is an extremely rugged area, the 

 coast indented by many small coves between jagged, rocky points. At the 

 head of some of the coves there are small beaches, usually with habitations. 

 The small villages of Lobos and Machalilla have such location. Salango is 

 also one of Cuming's locality, referred to by the authors of his species. 

 Because of its general remoteness, Salango has not received the study from 

 naturalists that it deserves. 



South of Salango, the trend of the coast becomes southeasterly form- 

 ing the northern arm of the large, open bay of Santa Elena. In this stretch 

 are the villages of Manglaralto and San Pedro, the region still semihumid, 

 with a fine fringe of cocoanut trees along the beach and small stands of 

 mangrove, the last such met with on the west coast of Ecuador. Passing 

 Punta Ayanque, the climate undergoes a marked change and becomes semi- 

 arid, increasingly more southward to Santa Elena. Shortly below Puerto 

 Palmar, the outlet for Colonche, the coast swings outward towards the 

 southwest and opens into the more sheltered part of the bay of Santa Elena. 



