466 A YEAR OF COSTA RICAN NATURAL HISTORY 



which flows east directly into the Rio Tempisque instead 

 of into the Cafias as do the Medio and Diria, rivers of Santa 

 Cruz. On the way to Santa Barbara, I had unfortunately 

 lost my insect net but was able to rig up another from a net 

 always carried with me — but never yet used — to protect my 

 head from some ferocious swarm of mosquitos or gnats that 

 I might meet. The substitute, in the hands of young Sefior 

 Bonilla, who took to catching dragonflies over the water 

 with ardor, proved good enough to land the hitherto un- 

 caught female of a species known to us at Santa Cruz, and 

 as usual Professor Tristan aided vigorously in securing speci- 

 mens of the local odonate fauna. He also photographed 

 two of the granddaughters in characteristic attitudes of these 

 people, for they had brought with them earthenware jars 

 and guacals for the household water supply. It is the cus- 

 tom here and elsewhere in Guanacaste for the people to take 

 their water not from the flowing stream but from holes 

 which they make, each time they go for water, in the stone 

 and sand beaches through which the river winds. As pigs 

 and cattle frequently wander over these beaches and soil 

 them, the water from such holes is not likely to be as clean as 

 that taken from the middle of the river. At this place, being 

 below the village, the water was certainly dirty and not very 

 inviting as a beverage. The Medio and Diria, just above 

 Santa Cruz, are very clear and when extremely thirsty I 

 have drunk from them although I could never be sure that 

 some family wash was not in progress around a bend up- 

 stream. Usually while in Guanacaste I drank Apollinaris 

 which, wonderful to relate, could be bought in almost every 

 village; a large bottle furnishing two glassfuls, cost 60 cen- 

 timos ( = $.30), a smaller bottle 30 centimos. This was ex- 

 pensive but at least safe. 



The elevation of Santa Barbara is about the same as that 

 of Santa Cruz and the ride from one place to the other took 



