:::":"3gL COAST AND TABLELAND as:::;:::: 



tropical as any under the equator. As any zonal map 

 will show, while the North Temperate reaches a chilly 

 finger far southward along the highest slopes of 

 Mexico's tableland, the Tropics are not intimidated, 

 but threaten indeed to outflank their eternal enemy 

 by sending long slender arms northward up the two 

 coasts, where the breath of the equator defies the 

 frosts of the snow-capped peaks but a few miles away. 

 For mile after mile we rushed on, hardly rising a foot, 

 through fields of tasselled cano azucar (sugar-cane), 

 through groves of banana and cocoanut-palms, and 

 coffee plantations. Marsh and Sparrow Hawks were 

 abundant, and an occasional large yellow flycatcher 

 flashed past. We began to draw near the mountains, 

 which rose high and grand in a single abrupt sweep 

 from the flat hot lands, the tlerra caliente, which we 

 had left behind us. 



At night, in our hotel in Orizaba, we were reminded 

 of our close approach to the cold mountains by a freez- 

 ing wind which lasted until late next morning. Amid 

 hundreds of roses we shivered and shook as we ate our 

 breakfast in the open patio. The insect life of this 

 town must go into a semi-hibernation every night, for 

 I found many species of moths and beetles stiff and 

 numb upon the ground beneath the electric lights. 

 Two large and beautiful sphinx moths {Pseudosphinx 

 tetrlo) which I held in my hand for some time, revived, 

 and at last were able to fly weakly away. 



«4 21 -^ 



