1883.] MR. A. BOUCARD ON BIRDS FROM VUCATAN. 437 



sea, leaving the town of Progreso on a narrow strip of land between 

 the bays and the sea. This neck of land is covered with low shrubs, 

 which furnish but poor protection for the birds in the season of the 

 northers. October and part of November 1878 were spent at 

 Progreso, and the remainder of November at the port of Silam 

 (Tzeelam), twenty leagues to the east of Progreso, which is simi- 

 larly located in every respect. (2) ChalU is a hacienda on the 

 Campeche road, eight leagues south-west of Merida. The land is 

 almost entirely limestone-rock, with a few very low scrubby trees, which 

 rarely rise to the height of twenty-five feet ; beneath these is one 

 impenetrable thicket of undergrowth. The month of December was 

 mostly spent in this rancho. (3) Merida, the capital of Yucatan, is 

 a large village situated in a forest of shady trees, which by care have 

 become quite large, and in every respect unhke the natural trees 

 about the city. Part of December and half of January 1879 were 

 spent in this city. (4) Izamal is situated in the interior, fourteen 

 leagues to the east of Merida. The country is low, level, and stony ; 

 thickly wooded with low scrubby trees and a dense growth of under- 

 bush and thorns. (5) Izalam is a rancho six leagues to the south 

 of Izamal, located in a forest of trees which rise to the height of 

 forty feet. The country is level and rocky, and covered wilh the 

 usual undergrowth. The remainder of January, February, and half 

 of March were spent in Izamal and Izalam. (6) Tizimin is situated 

 fifty leagues to the east of Merida, and sixteen leagues from the 

 north coast. The country, hke all Northern Yucatan, is low, level, 

 and undiversified, without streams of water of any kind. This is 

 on the border of what are called the eastern forests. To the north, east, 

 and south of Tizimin lie vast forests, for the most part uninhabited 

 since the emigration of the Indians nearly half a century ao-o. These 

 forests are filled with ruins both ancient and modern. Of'the former 

 nothing remains worth sending out of the country. A ie^ ranches 

 have been repeopled, and from these I have collected most of the birds 

 sent. Of these the first was (7) Tok Jonat Ku, a large forest to tlie 

 north-east of Tizimin six leagues. Here are large trees and the forests 

 comparatively open. The months of April and May and part of 

 June were spent in this forest and others near by. (8) Rio Lagartos 

 is a seaport town at the mouth of the river of the same name. Rio 

 Lagartos is not a river in the sense generally given to the word river 

 in Europe and America, but rather an arm of the sea into which 

 open innumerable springs, or, as I believe, large subterranean rivers. 

 The water is very salt, and in the dry season even more salt than 

 the sea. It is very broad and shallow, bordered by a dense growth 

 of low brush, behind which lie marshes of salt or brackish water. 

 Here many thousands of Flamingos were seen in their finest plumao-ei 

 while vast swarms of other sea-birds are ever in sight. The re- 

 mainder of June and part of July were spent here, though, on account 

 of the innumerable hosts of mosquitoes and gnats, which come with 

 the first rains, my work was very much impeded. (9) Calotmul 

 is situated five leagues to the south of Tizimin in similar lands, 

 though on the road to Merida. (10) Pocobach is a new settlemen' 



