374 
GUATEMALA. 
Scorpions are large and dreaded ; but their sting is not 
more painful than that of a hornet, and they are sluggish, 
and not abundant even in their chosen haunts. Centi¬ 
pedes are seen on the tree-stems, and many are drowned 
during the rains. This articulate is by no means quick 
in its motions, and falls a prey to the agile cockroach. 
Spiders are abundant, both in species and individuals; 
and Mr. Frederick Sarg, of Guatemala, has drawn most 
beautifully, and carefully described, many new species. 
The hairy tarantula is the most dreaded ; but others found 
on the rocks by the river-sides are perhaps larger. 
The birds of Guatemala are of great beauty; and the 
quetzal ( Macropharus mocino ), the pavo (. Meleagris ocel- 
lata ), and the curassow, are perhaps unsurpassed in splen¬ 
dor of plumage. The wild turkey was supposed to be 
peculiar to Honduras, but has been found in Yerapaz. 
Toucans with enormous bills and brilliant colors, parrots 
even more brightly colored, especially the guacamayo 
(.Psittacus macao ), and many species of humming-birds, 
frequent the river-banks ; the palomas, or doves, and the 
social and noisy yellow-tails are on the trees, especially 
the qualm ( Cecropia sp.) ; the white cranes and the great 
pelicans frequent the shoals; the johncrows ( Cathartes 
aurea ) congregate on the trees about the towns and serve 
as scavengers; and owls, hawks, and eagles are distinct 
elements of the Guatemaltecan avifauna. 
Not less brilliant than the birds are the lepidoptera. 
The superb blue butterfly (. Morpho sp .) flits among the 
trees with its wings spreading nine inches; with this are 
smaller relatives, —black, blue, carmine, and yellow; some 
with swallow-tails (Papilionidoe), others short and broad. 
Among the beetles are two of immense size, — the Her- 
