of the western variety) told us that the fauna as well as flora had changed.

Toward mid-day the trail took the crest of the thin ridge between the deep Jamapa and Tlacotiopa barrancas. Dense clouds were below as well as above us. We seemed to be climbing a knife-edge through space. Reaching level ground on what might have been another planet, we camped for the night. Shortly we were visited by a group of seemingly pure-blooded Indian boys from neighboring cabins or jacales, who appeared as much excited by our presence as though we had come from another planet. Particularly were they interested in Patterson's masterly handling of flapjacks, doubtless to them a kind of glorified tortilla, and we ourselves were not without admiration of his skill, and especially its productiveness.

WAKING IN THE CLOUDS

We awoke in the clouds, and all day they hung closely about us. Huts of hewn boards roofed with split shingles, without windows, and with an unhinged

door leaning against their one opening, were passed at intervals. At our approach their owners promptly disappeared within, and although our passing greeting was usually answered, the speaker was unseen, but we could almost feel the questioning look of at least one pair of eyes. They were rather an attractive-looking people, with the ruddy. olive complexion one finds among the Indians of high altitudes.

At about 9,000 feet we reached the upper limit of corn, and in consequence the upper limit of human habitation. Beyond this point only goatherds and iceminers were encountered. At the same time we entered the outskirts of the coniferous forests of the Boreal Zone.

PERPETUAL TROPICAL WINTER

A few outlying short-leaved pines (Pinus montesume) had been seen as low as 5,70c feet, and the pine forests descended at least as low as 8,000 feet. At 9,300 feet we encountered the first spruce (Abies religiosa), convincing evidence of the boreal character of our sur

roundings, and at 9,500 feet we camped in a superb primeval forest of pines, spruce, and oak. The pines (Pinus montezuma and P. liophylla) compared favorably in size with those of the California Sierras, while some of the oaks, locally termed "encimos," we estimated to be 130 feet in height, with a basal diameter of 6 feet.

A singularly incongruous tropical note in this Alpine forest was the presence of Spanish "moss" (Tillandsia), which in places heavily draped the trees, and crimson-spiked "wild pines," which in abundance grew from favorable root-holds on their branches. The high degree of moisture prevailing in this zone of clouds evi

dently creates such favorable conditions of humidity for these epiphytes that they have adapted themselves to a much lower temperature than they could endure under dryer conditions.

At night, enshrouded by the now chilly mist, we sat closely around our camp-fire discussing the prospects of better weather, when, doubtless through a change in the direction of the wind, by us unnoticed, the clouds with surprising suddenness disappeared, and almost as quickly as one would turn on a light the once ghostly forest was brightly illumined by the rays. of a full moon! The effect was thrilling, but when we looked upward through the pines and saw, impressively near, the

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snow-crown of Orizaba gleaming brilliantly, serenely in the moonlight, we were overpowered by an emotion which for a moment left us speechless.

The weather had cleared and in a manner which made the experience the most memorable one of our journey. The following morning was cloudless, and as a reminder that we were in the Tierra Fria the mercury stood at 31° and ice formed in pools left by the rain.

When contemplation of Orizaba permitted we could now take some account of our surroundings. The ridge between the barrancas had narrowed again and on each side we could hear the roar of the over-filled streams tearing down their rocky bottoms, 1,500 feet below us.

BIRDS OF THE NORTHI

Birds were common, easily observed, and of absorbing interest. One may read of the occurrence of such typically boreal species as evening grosbeaks and crossbills in the latitude of Mexico City with out discounting the impression created by actually seeing them there. Brown creepers (Certhia), nuthatches (Sitta pygma and S. carolinensis mexicana), chickadees (Penthestes meridionalis), water ousels, juncos (Junco phaonotus), siskins, ravens, and hairy woodpeckers were other birds of northern origin seen about or near our camp, while robins, bluebirds, and flickers served further to remind us of higher latitudes. More strictly indig enous forms were olive, and red-faced warblers and the large striped sparrows (Plagiospiza).

At an altitude of 10,000 feet we passed a group of buildings locally known as El Jacal, the home of a patriarchal goatherd whose family appeared to be almost as numerous as his flocks. Here the traveler from Coscomatepec to San Andres on the table-land could lodge for the night. The trip therefore may readily be made without other equipment than one could carry on his saddle, and I commend it to every one who would leave the tourist trail and come into closer contact with Mexico than is possible near the line of a railway.

At 11,500 feet the last spruces were observed. At their "timber-line" they

were still large, vigorous trees and there was no apparent reason why they should not have continued to appear for at least another thousand feet; but, if unseen, the law that controls their distribution was not the less potent. Shortly they were followed by the long-leaved pine (Pinus liophylla), and only the short-leaved pine reached the upper limit of tree-growth.

Camp was made at 12,600 feet, in an ill-selected spot, where, after sunset, the wind swept down off the great snowfields above us and we could actually see the mercury in our thermometer fall. In 30 minutes it dropped 28°-from 48° to 20°-and at 6 o'clock the following morning it registered 12°. Lack of suitable clothing, though we had prepared for reasonably cold weather, and the suddenness of the change gave us, in spite of a camp-fire, a realizing sense of what it means actually to suffer with cold. Six hours later the sun temperature was 112°, and, suffering now from the heat, we endeavored to adjust ourselves to a variation of 100 degrees in six hours.

MASTER OF THE MOUNTAIN

Long before daylight, on this wakeful night, we heard the tread of sandaled feet and the sound of surprisingly cheerful, laughing voices pass on the trail which led up the mountain. Who these people were and where they were going was later explained to us by a visitor, who, armed with an ancient rifle, politely introduced himself as "el dueno de la montaña"the master of the mountain-and intimated that in the performance of his duty he would be grateful if we could explain to him the object of our visit to this region in which strangers were rarely seen. Were we Germans? he asked. No; from the United States, we said. "Ah, Englishmen," he replied, and we let it go. at that.

He was the handsomest, most attractive specimen of native manhood I have. ever set eyes on. I had an absurd desire in some way to "collect" him, and only a realization of how sadly out of place he would be far from his own habitat restrained me from the attempt.

His conquest was completed by Patter