Miscellaneous. 429 



temperature at the Puenta Nacional, in the months of September, 

 October and November, averaged 80° at 3 p.m. with little variation, 

 the atmosphere was so loaded with moisture that it was impossible 

 to keep our fighting-tools free from rust for twenty-four hours at a 

 time, protect them as we might. 



The animals met with at the Puenta Nacional and on the tierra 

 caliente, are for the greater part common to Texas and the north ; 

 the common deer is abundant, though of small size ; the red fox, the 

 prairie wolf, and the spotted tiger-cat are frequently met with, and 

 the Puma also, though more frequently in the mountains above. Rep- 

 tiles are exceedingly numerous, though of few species. The royal 

 iguano, as it is called, is found in the cliffs bordering the river An- 

 tigua, and grows to a vevy large size ; one killed by a Mexican 

 measuring nine feet in length. The flesh of this species, as well as 

 that of others, is considered quite a delicacy by the inhabitants. I 

 observed a curious habit of a species of lizard, which has not been 

 noticed before to my knowledge ; it is that of passing over the water 

 in an erect position, resting on its hinder parts, and propelling itself 

 by its hind-feet, its tail lying horizontally on the water, acting as a 

 rudder. In the San Juan and Antigua rivers I noticed an alligator 

 which appeared to be diiferent from our common species ; the young, 

 a specimen of which I caught, is entirely black, without the usual 

 yellow markings on its back. 



Land and freshwater shells are scarce, the beds of the streams 

 being very stony ; nearer the coast, however, they may perhaps be 

 more abundant. After passing the tierra caliente, the ascent in- 

 creases over the tierra templada, as above stated, to the foot of the 

 mountains. The whole of the surface of this part of the country is 

 much broken by low ranges of volcanic hills and deep ravines or 

 barrancas, as they are called, of 200 to 500 feet in depth, 

 which run commonly at right angles from the mountain-chain 

 above. The city of Jalapa derives its name from that of an ancient 

 Indian village a few leagues distant, and signifies " built among 

 barrancas." 



Most of the hills are of volcanic formation, though they are not all 

 so, as I have seen stated. The limestone shows itself in the valleys 

 at the foot of the mountains, and in the barrancas, when of sufficient 

 width : it is, of course, very much altered from its connexion with 

 the volcanic rock, being uncrystallized and whitened : it is not 

 fossiliferous, and, as far as I noticed, unstratified. At Quarterpec, 

 a few leagues south of Jalapa, and at other places, it is burnt by the 

 Indians, and the lime is sold in the neighbouring towns and cities. 



The soil of the valleys is rich, and under cultivation produces during 

 the whole year, rice, coffee, tobacco, sugar-cane, corn and other ve- 

 getable productions, fruit, &c. of both tropical and temperate climes, 

 in great abundance. The average of temperature I should place lower 

 than Humboldt. During the months of January and February there 

 were several nights of severe frosts in the neighbourhood of Jalapa 

 and below, which stripped the trees on the hills of their foliage, but 

 I was told it was of very unusual occurrence. 



