al curiosities of Mexico, one of the most remarkable is
that of the rock-bridge in the valley Icononzo, which might, from its
form--until closely examined--be mistaken for a work of art.

The great mass of the population of Mexico consists of the descendants
of those tribes which inhabited the country at the time of the Spanish
invasion. The language most extensively spoken, as well by the
civilised as the savage tribes, is still that of the Aztecs. The people
of pure European blood are supposed not to amount to thirty thousand.
About a quarter of the population consists of Creoles, descendants of
Europeans and Indians known as Mestizos, while there is a small number
of Mulattoes, and another race, the Zambos--descendants of Africans and
Indians.

Mexico has long been in a chronic state of revolution. From a province
of Spain it became an independent empire; afterwards a republic; and
once more, under the unfortunate Maximilian, it was placed under
imperial rule, finally to fall into a far greater state of anarchy than
before.

Before we quit Mexico, a remarkable result of hydraulic action must be
mentioned, found on the sea-coast of that region. It is known as the
buffadero. At the termination of a long rugged point, the water of the
ocean, forced by a current or the waves, is projected through a fissure
or natural tube in the rock, forming a beautiful _jet d'eau_ many feet
in height.

BIRDS OF MEXICO:--THE SCARLET TANAGER.

Among the winter inhabitants of Mexico, one of the handsomest is the
scarlet tanager--a small bird, being only six or seven inches in length.
It migrates north in the spring, generally making its appearance in the
United States about the end of April, where it remains till the breeding
season is over.

The colour of the male bird is a brilliant scarlet, with the exception
of the tail and wings, which are deep black. The tail is forked, and
has a white tip. This gay plumage is, however, only donned during the
summer, for when it returns to Mexico in the autumn, its body is covered
with a number of greyish-yellow feathers, giving it a mottled
appearance. Its note is powerful, but not particularly musical.

Wilson describes it as a remarkably affectionate bird. Having captured
a young one, it was placed in a cage high up on a tree. The father bird
discovered it, and was seen to bring it food, roosting at night on a
neighbouring bough. After continuing to do so for three or four days