20 



MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA 



Fig. 3. Yucatan Deer 

 caught in a Snare. From 

 the Mayan Codex, Tro- 

 Cortesianus. 



cance to the natives. Bats are frequently represented 



in the ancient art and a bat demon appears in several 



myths. 



Upon the highlands of Mexico the Toltecan deer is 



still hunted, together with the wild turkey, that is the 



parent of our domestic birds. 

 The turkey was, in fact, domes- 

 ticated by the Mexican tribes. 

 It probably occurred southward 

 over the Guatemalan highlands 

 but is now extinct in this latter 

 region. In the southern part of 

 Central America the place of the 

 turkey as an item of diet is taken 

 by the curassow, a yellow-crested 



bird with black plumage. The coppery-tailed trogon, the 



famous quetzal, was sacred in ancient times and is now 



the emblem of Guatemala. This 



beautiful bird occurs only in the 



cloud cap forest zone on the high 



mountains of southern Mexico and 



Guatemala. Blue macaws, parrots, 



paroquets, and humming birds con- 

 tributed their gay plumage to adorn 



headdresses and feather-covered 



cloaks. These and many other 



birds doubtless flitted about in the 



aviary of Moctezuma. The black 



vulture, the king vulture and the 



harpy eagle are other conspicuous 



birds often figured in the ancient 



art. The coyote, ocelot, and puma 



are the principal beasts of prey on the highlands. 

 Among the characteristic trees of the lowlands may 



be mentioned the palm, which occurs in great variety, 



Fig. 4. The Moan 

 Bird, or Yucatan Owl, 

 personified as a Demi- 

 god. Dresden Codex. 



