Carriker— exico. 
J* • 
driven 
and Feb- 
ay,when 
s e cur e 
and others only taken there as occasiona.1 stragglers, perhaps 
down from the mountain by the cold,stormy weather of January 
ruary. _ _ , , . „ - 
No work was done on the mountain below 800 feet, until m 
t spent eight davs at Tapacoyan,the chief objective being to 
as complete a collection from the higher altitudes,as well as to work 
the lower slopes and contiguous lowlands. 
The Slones on the west slopes of Tuxtla,except for the portion 
below 800 feet,is almost entirely a virgin growth,with very many tall 
spreading trees,a really beautiful forest. The undergrowth in many 
portions is very scant,due to the dense shade,but in such portions 
a small palm,densely covered with wicked thorns,and locally known as 
"Chocha”,is very abundant. It was impossible to avoid,altogether, 
these thorn-covered palms,and every trip up the mountain meant a goodly 
cron of them to be removed from ones legs,hands and arms. ^ # 
The portion sxfcBK of the mountain extending above 2,000 feet is 
sma ll in area,and is composed of narrow,steep sided ridges only,along 
the tops of which the trees are much lower,more stunted and gnarlea, 
and often covered with a varied assortment of epiphytes,including 
orchids and bromelias. Several species of begonias were also present 
on these high ridges,while the trees were often heavily draped with 
green moss. . „ _ , - 
Surprisingly few of the lowland species of birds were found above 
1000 feet,the principal ones being Fylophilus decurtatus ana H*oc ® ,c '" 
oloens (the latter more abundant on the mountain than in the lowlands); 
Easileuterus culicivorus and Henicorhina leucosticta,also Feniliorms 
Ol0 ?S n two species of Habia are found together on the lower slopes, 
while formicarius seems to be more abundant on the mountain (up t,o 
1000 feet) than in the lowlands. , . . 
Birds are not abundant on the mountain,outside of a few species, 
while their collection was made very difficult by the nature of e 
forest,many species frequenting the higher portions of the ^1! trees 
almost exclusively,while very few forms peculiar uo the ground ano. 
undergrowth were present,and such species (excepting Basileuteru 
culicivorus and TT enicorhina) were few in numbers. x 
Often birds could be heard singing in the tree-tops,buu it would 
be impossible to see them,and even if seen,were not always easily 
secured, even with a heavy charge of No.12 shot. ir 
On the ’whole,birds were much more plentiful on ^an aiJtin than on 
Tuxtla,which is only natural,since the area suitable to species 
of the lower subtropical zone was infinitely greater on oar artin. 
During the time spent in Tapacoyan during lay,collecting became 
exceedingly difficult,so that a half day of hard work would rarely 
yield more than 6 to 8 desirable specimens. At this uiine^here /.an 
the additional handicap in the form of myriads of huge cicadas,whose 
■perpetual din made it almost impossible to even hear call notes 
of birds unless they were quite close. Then,to add to all ox e 
troubles the rains suddenly began on hay 7th,with a terrmo thumm 
storm at 3 A.M.,which nearly swamped the shack in which I was la.v_. 0 » 
and was followed by almost daily rain,always during the forenoon. 
All of these difficulties account for the few specimens taken 
during the eight days spent at Tapacoyan,although hodesto was ou 
every day and myself every day but one. Even so,the crip was wex w r n 
while,since we added six species to the list from the mountain, 
including the fine pair of Grax globicera,an exceedingly rare_ird in 
this region. Four additional species were also taken a- **es Zap^ e 
in th.6 two days spont there bofor© going to lapacoyan* 
