ANCIENT MEXICANS. 27 



signify rays of the sun, tresses of the daystar, 

 murmuring birds, and the like. The Spanish 

 Tominos, or Tomineios, seems to refer to their 

 diminutive size and small weight (Tomin, the 

 third part of a drachm), and Picaflores, another 

 term employed by the Spanish and Portuguese 

 Creoles to express their mode of taking their 

 food. The late Captain Lyon, R.N. in his Jour- 

 nal of a Residence and Tour in the Republic of 

 Mexico (1828), states, that in the neighbourhood 

 of Xalapa the Humming-bird is distinguished 

 by the names of Chupa-rosa and Chupa-myrta, 

 Rose-sucker and Myrtle-sucker." 



To the ancient Mexicans, all brilliant crea- 

 tures were objects of deep interest, and brilliant 

 birds peculiarly so. The beauty and lustre of the 

 boa constrictor, combined, with its vast dimen- 

 sions and terrific powers, to render it an object of 

 admiration, not unmingled with fear, and even su- 

 perstitious worship . There was a royal menagerie, 

 in the time of Montezuma, divided into two de- 

 partments, one being appropriated to birds which 

 did not live by prey ; the other to birds of prey, 

 quadrupeds, and reptiles. Three hundred men, 

 according to the testimony of Cortez, took care 

 of the birds, irrespective of skilful persons who 

 watched their diseases and applied remedies. 

 Of the three hundred attendants, some procured 

 their food, others distributed it, others 

 watched over the nests at the time of incuba- 

 tion, whilst others, at certain seasons, plucked 



