592 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxiii. 



Another conjecture is that the Mexican tribes were instructed in the 

 method of tapping the agave by some one who was familiar with the 

 art of tapping the pahn, which has been practiced in the Orient from 

 time immemorial. This seems going rather far afield for an explana- 

 tion. If there is anything the Indian understands it is his ])lants, 

 and in a multitude of ways he proves this familiarity and illustrates 

 their nearness to him above all other things in nature. Still, since the 

 tapping of the agave is a complicated operation not likely to have 

 been arrived at in a haphazard manner, it is possible that the idea 

 may have come from a foreign source. 



It is interesting in this connection to mention that the beverages 

 of the tribes of mankind include but two prepared by fermenting the 

 sap obtained by tapping plants — pulque and palm wine — and that 

 with them is connected primitive distillation. 



