194 Mr. 0. Salvin on the Sea-birds and Waders 



the coast, the sandy beach being no doubt favourable to its 

 peculiar habits. 



Whilst I was staying with Tio Lencho, some of his nieces and 

 relations came from Retaluleu to enjoy a " temporada " at the 

 sea-side. The alcalde, one Manuel Quinones, accompanied them. 

 Though very stout, he was active, and, besides being a tolerable 

 shot, used a fish-spear with some dexterity. He often went out 

 fishing and shooting with me. One evening, when the tide was 

 out, we went along the beach to get some Crustaceans, called 

 there Chiquirin and Rey chiquiy-in, which frequent the sand, and 

 are found just within reach of the water as it flows and ebbs 

 over them. They bury themselves in the sand, the feelers only 

 remaining exposed. I was not at all up to catching them ; but 

 Quinones was very skilful ; and a most absurd sight it was to see 

 him as he ran along in the water in the lightest possible costume, 

 every now and then rushing forward and digging rapidly with 

 his hands. If successful, he would toss the Chiquirin high on 

 the beach, where it was duly secured. Spanish is an accommo- 

 dating language, so that this process was called "chiquiriniando "! 

 Vast numbers of these Sand-hoppers are caught, spitted on a 

 stick, a dozen in a string, and toasted over a fire. They are sent 

 thus prepared to Quezaltenango and the Altos, where they are 

 esteemed a great delicacy by the Indians. 



The same evening we shot two Iguanas as they came out of 

 the sea, having been down to wet themselves ; one gave us a long 

 chase, as it escaped into the surf. 



I had still another series of lagoons to visit ; but to get there, 

 it was advisable to go round by Retaluleu; so packing all my 

 fish and sending them to San Jose by the ' Vicuna,^ I rode all 

 one night by moonlight, and reached Retaluleu the next morning. 

 It was a tedious journey; but night is preferable to the scorching 

 heat of the day, the forest not being dense enough in many 

 places to afl'ord much shade ; the dust, too, which is very bad 

 during this season, does not cause so much annoyance by night. 

 There is a great contrast between the ornithic productions of the 

 two sides of Guatemala, the Pacific coast being remarkable 

 chiefly for the absence of many of the most familiar birds of the 

 low forests of Vera Paz. One listens in vain for the melancholy 



