OVERLAND FROM LA FE TO V IN ALES 219 



Bartsch our ornithologist enumerated twenty-six 

 species along the way. 



Approaching Mendoza, the two large mountains, 

 *' Sierra de Guane" and "Sierra de Paso Real de 

 Guane," loom up high and imposing, and a gradual 

 transition is apparent in the country round about. 

 The sandy soil changes to clay and the vegetation 

 becomes wholly different. Royal palms appear 

 in groups, and the pines are left behind along with 

 the flowering shrubs and cabbage palms. Ceibas 

 and hardwood trees with denser foliage are met. 

 The Pleistocene sea bottom is now crossed and 

 we emerge upon the older mainland of Cuba — the 

 old coastal strip. Entering the town of Mendoza 

 and bumping along its only street, part of the 

 ancient royal road, we reached the end of our 

 carriage journey at a tienda opposite the railway 

 station. 



The two high sierras — better called mogotes — of 

 "Guane" and "Paso Real de Guane," directly in 

 front of Mendoza, are the last mountains of con- 

 siderable size belonging to the north and south 

 range, already referred to as beginning in the 

 north with Pena Blanca. South of these two 

 large and steep mountains is a series of small 



