72 <3eo0rapbical motes on 



Of all the Mexican fauna, two only have been domesticated : the 

 huahulotl (Meleagris Mexicand), which is a species of duck, and the 

 turkey, introduced into Europe by the Spaniards from the West Indies, 

 hence by the French called " coq d'Inde." The techichi, an edible 

 dumb dog, was soon exterminated when taxed by the Spanish authori- 

 ties. The other farmyard animals have all been introduced into Mex- 

 ico by the conquerors. 



In the Gulf of California, and especially near La Paz, and the neigh- 

 boring archipelagoes, extensive beds of pearl oysters are fished. Some 

 other islands in the same gulf are frequented by myriads of various 

 species of aquatic birds, and have already yielded many hundred car- 

 goes of guano. 



It is noteworthy that the Pacific islands, lying at some distance 

 from the coast, have all a fauna different from that of the mainland. 

 Thus the little Tres Marias group, about sixty miles off the coast of 

 Jalisco, has a special species of humming-bird. The Revillagigedo 

 Archipelago also forms a separate zoological zone, and the island of 

 Guadalupe, over one hundred and fifty miles distant from Lower Cali- 

 fornia, has eleven species of land birds, every one of which differs 

 from the corresponding species on the adjacent continent. 



ETHNOLOGY. 



Mexico is inhabited by native Indians found there during the Span- 

 ish conquest, by descendants of the conquerors of Mexico and other 

 European races, and by a mixture of the two. There are so few in- 

 habitants of African descent that it is hardly worth while speaking of 

 them. The proportion of this population is about as follows : Of Eu- 

 ropean descent, 19 per cent. ; native Indians, 43 per cent. ; mixed races, 

 38 per cent. 



Mexican Indians. The native Indians found by the Spaniards be- 

 long to several nations and tribes, having different features and entirely 

 distinct languages. The principal of these tribes are the following^ 

 some of which are now extinct : 



Otomi, Apache, Tarahumara, 



Chichimec, Irritilas, Tepehuan, 



Huaxtec, Tamaulioecs, Sabaibos, 



Totonac, Zacotec, Acaxee, 



Mixtec, Huastec, Xixime, 



Zapotec, Zoque*, Concho, 



Mahuas, Opata, Manosprietas, 



Toltec, Guaicuri, Comanche, 



Olmecs, Yaqui, Cuachichils, 



Xicalancs, Mayo, Tarascos, 



Tula, Seri, Mixe. 



