Edw^ird Drinker Cope. — Eraser. log 
huge fields of Agave, passing some mountains, and reached "Pachuca 
by noon at the foot of some high mountains. We had fresh pulque — 
which is a white efifervescing drink which tastes like a mild mixture of 
cider, lemonade, and beer; the best drink I know of, take it all to- 
gether. 
When we left we climbed up a stair-case of rocks for a great height. 
The vegetation became that of dry places, mostly cacti. In the valley 
there are many beautiful plants. The Acacias, with their sweet flowers, 
are numerous. Several stand in the barn yard. On one of these was 
a great bunch of a parasitic orchid, with beautiful pink flowers. On 
another from the midst of another similar bunch arose a parasitic 
cactus, and on this again grew a parasitic Tillandsia! 
The houses here remind me of the Tyrol. ,They are of stone or 
logs and have roofs, in great contrast to the mud (adobe) houses of 
other regions, with flat tops. This town is very picturesque. The 
ground is irregular and a beautiful, clear creek runs thro' it. The 
people are very fond of flowers and have rows of pots along the rails 
of their porches. They generally have several cages of birds — one 
parrot, and a lot of song birds. Among the latter the Clarine is easily 
queen. 
The valleys are very deep here, running from 1,000 to 2,000 feet 
below the level of the highlands. One goes from the Tierra Fria to 
the T. templada and T. caliente in a very short distance. Oranges in 
fruit in the valleys, blackberries and oaks on the hills! The temperate 
region above; the tropics below. I caught 7 species of lizards and 
frogs, and a French doctor gave me 7 species of snakes. Five or six 
of the latter belong to the "Cope family." From the clays of the coal 
beds I went to examine I procured 2 sp. 3 toed horses; i camel, and 
parts of a Mastodon, so that I can fix the age of the beds as com- 
pared with those around them. I examined some iron mines also, 
which are in another formation." 
"Vera Cruz, March 23, 1885. Just before leaving my friend Julius 
Flohr took me to see the lake Xochimilco. We caught numerous water 
snakes on the banks, one of which is a species which I have named, 
and which is probably one which is on the coat of arms of 
Mexico. I have met various Americans on the way here who will 
mostly be passengers on the steamer Whitney tomorrow. They may 
be distinguished generally from the Mexicans by their bad manners. 
They are not Philadelphians, who compare favorably. Some of these 
are evidently western people. The Indians are more polite than the 
lower class of Americans, and are better people I believe." 
"Galveston, March 26, 1885. (?) We stop here an hour and I take 
this opportunity of mailing this. We reach New Orleans to-morrow. 
I was sick the first day and have been miserable ever since." 
"New Orleans, March 31, 1885. The Exposition here is a fine thing, 
though not to be compared to ours in 1876." 
"Granger, Wyoming Terr., September 18, 1885. * * My health 
has been greatly benefitted, and I feel like a Western explorer again. 
