Comoapa-A Native Doctor-Vultures-Flight of Birds that Soar

-Natives live from generation to generation on the same spot-

Do not give distinctive Names to the Rivers-Caribs barter Guns

and Iron-pots for Dogs-The Hairless Dogs of Tropical America-

Difference between Artificial and Natural Selection- The cause of

Sterility between Allied Species considered-The disadvantages

of a covering of hair in a domesticated animal in a Tropical

Country

PAGE

191

CHAPTER XII.

Olama - The "Sanate"-Muymuy-Idleness of the People-Moun-

tain Road-The "Bull Rock "-The Bull's-horn Thorn-Ants

kept as Standing Armies by some Plants-Use of Honey-secreting

Glands-Plant-lice, Scale-insects, and Leaf-hoppers furnish Ants

with Honey, and in return are protected by the latter-Contest

between Wasps and Ants-Waxy Secretions of the Homopterous

Hemiptera

212

CHAPTER XIII.

Matagalpa-Aguardiente-Fermented Liquors of the Indians-The

Wine Palm-Idleness of the Nicaraguans-Pine and Oak

Forests-Mountain Gorge-Jinotega-Native Plough- Descend-

ants of the Buccaneers-San Rafael-A Mountain Hut

231

CHAPTER XIV.

Great Range composed of Boulder Clay-Daraily-Lost on the Savan-

nahs - Jamaily-A Deer-hunter's Family-Totagalpa - Walls

covered with Cement and Whitewashed-Ocotal-The Valley of

Depilto-Silver Mine-Geology of the Valley-Glacial Drift-

The Glacial Period in Central America-Evidence that the Ice

extended to the Tropics-Scarcity of Gold in the Valley Gravels

-Difference of the Mollusca on the East and West Coast of the

Isthmus of Darien-The Refuge of the Tropical American Animals

and Plants during the Glacial Period-The Lowering of the Sea

Level-The Land Shells of the West Indian Islands-The Malay

Archipelago-Easter Island-Atlantis-Traditions of the Deluge. 247

A Nicaraguan Criminal-Geology between Ocotal and Totagalpa-Pre-

parations at Totagalpa for their Annual Festival-Chica-drinking

-Piety of the Indians-Ancient Civilization of Tropical America

-Palacaguina-Hospitality of the Mestizos-Curious Custom at

the Festival at Condego-Cross Range between Segovia and Mata-

galpa-Sontuli-Birds' Nests.

CHAPTER XVI.

Concordia-Jinotega-Indian Habits retained by the People-Indian

Names of Towns-Security of Travellers in Nicaragua-Native

Flour-milk-Uncomfortable Lodgings-Tierrabona-Dust Whirl-

wind-Initial form of a Cyclone-The origin of Cyclones

CHAPTER XVII.

Cattle-raising-Don Filiberto Trano's new House-Horse-flies and

Wasps-Teustepe-Spider imitating Ants-Mimetic Species-

Animals with special means of defence are conspicuously marked,

or in other ways attract attention-Accident to Horse-The

Mygale-Illness-Conclusion of Journey .

CHAPTER XVIII.

Division of Nicaragua into three Zones-Journey from Juigalpa to

Lake of Nicaragua-Voyage on Lake-Fresh-water Shells and

Insects Similarity of Fresh-water productions all over the World

-Distribution of European Land and Fresh-water Shells-Dis-

cussion of the reasons why Fresh-water productions have varied

less than those of the Land and of the Sea

PAGE

275

292

308

327

CHAPTER XIX.

Iguanas and Lizards-Granada-Politics-Revolutions-Cacao Culti-

vation-Masaya-The Lake of Masaya-The Volcano of Masaya

-Origin of the Lake Basin

. 338

CHAPTER XX.

Indian Population of the country lying between the great lakes of

Nicaragua and the Pacific-Discovery and Conquest of Nicaragua

by the Spaniards-Cruelties of the Spaniards-The Indians of

Western Central America all belonged to one Stock-Decadence

of Mexican Civilization before the arrival of the Spaniards-The

designation "Nahuatls" proposed to include all the Mexican,

Western Central American, and Peruvian Races that had de-

scended from the same ancient Stock-The Nahuatls distinct

from the Caribs on one side and the Red Indians on the other-

Discussion of the question of the peopling of America

CHAPTER XXI.

Return to Santo Domingo-The Birds of Chontales-The Insects of

Chontales-Mimetic forms-Departure from the Mines-Nica-

ragua as a field for Emigration-Journey to Greytown-Return

to England.

PAGE

358

374

HUMMING-BIRDS (Florisuga mellivora, Linn.)

111

TONGUES OF HUMMING-BIRD AND WOODPECKER

.

113, 114

PITCHER-FLOWER (Marcgravia nepenthoides).

FLOWER OF THE "PALOSABRE ""

PENA BLANCA

INDIAN STATUES

PATH UP STEEP HILL

QUISCALUS

BULL'S-HORN THORN.

LEAF OF MELASTOMA

129

130

148

165

193

213

218

223

xvi