38 ON THE OLDER FORMS OF 



pitched-roof covered with somewhat smaller tiles than 

 those cited from Spain. The ridge is covered with the 

 ordinary ridge-tile elevated to a considerable distance 

 above the roof, the interspace apparently filled with white 

 stucco or plaster, giving it an appearance in the photograph, 

 of a high and narrow vertical ridge. The tiles are very 

 unevenly laid, and it will be noticed that in the photo- 

 graphs of Spain, Italy and other countries bordering the 

 Mediterranean, the tiling seems always to have been done 

 in a slovenly manner. This appearance is probably due, 

 in many cases, to the buildings being old and the tiles 

 having being thrown out of alignment by the wind and 

 other agencies. The thorough and accurate way in which 

 the Asiatic roofs are tiled stands out in marked contrast 

 to the loose manner of tiling of western nations using the 

 normal tile. 



MEXICO. 



I am indebted to Mr. Sylvester Baxter and Mr. Denman 

 W. Ross for photographs and descriptions of the roofing- 

 tiles of this country. Mr. Baxter observed on some roots 

 a large flat tile either plain or corrugated, the corrugations 

 being quite near together. These were usually coated 

 with a golden-green glaze. Around the City of Mexico 

 and in the high table-lands the flat tile was used. Photo- 

 graphs of buildings at Orizaba, taken by Mr. Ross, show 

 a large tile identical with the Spanish form. Mr. Baxter 

 observed that in some cases the lower tile was painted 

 white on the upper surface, white lead being apparently 

 used, and presumably to make the roof water-tight. He 

 also observed at Cuantla, Morelos, in the tierra caliente, 

 a large flat tile with upturned edges and semi-cylindrical 

 imbrex. A similar form to this has already been described 

 from Central Italy, and, as before remarked, is a survival 

 of the ancient Roman tile. The modern form is much 

 thinner. The tiles bordering the eaves differ in no re- 



