from the sand, which the waters bring down from the mountains. In Paracale they work the mines in the same manner as they do in New Spain, but the natives are so addicted to sloth, it is not possible to render them so productive as those of South America. In the mountains there is excellent timber for building ships or houses, and the canes are of an immense size, very long, and as thick as a man's thigh; of these latter the Indians construct their houses, covering them with the leaf of the palm. They raise cotton for clothing, which they dye various colours with logwood, indigo, and the achiote, a large tree, whose seed is used for that purpose. There is great abundance of wax and wild honey, amber, pearls, mother of pearl, marble, tar, brimstone, and many other objects of less value in a commercial point of view. To these productions the Spaniards have added horses and horned cattle, which have multiplied so much that they are to be found in the mountains without an owner, and where those that want may supply their wants at pleasure. They likewise introduced sheep, geese, grapes, figs, wheat, pepper, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tobacco, and various species of plants, which thrive so well, and produce so much, that the Indian, with all his sloth, acknowledges the utility of cultivating them. There are, in these islands, some natural curiosities deserving particular notice, such as the paxarillo, a species of small swallow, which forms its nest chiefly of the froth of the sea [6], and which is held in such estimation by the Chinese, as a principal dish at their table, that they purchase it at any price. The Balate is a species of sea worm, which, likewise, is sold in China at a high price. The Siguey, is a small shining shell [7], which forms the current money of the Malays. The Tabon, is a bird, which lays eggs similar to those of the turkey, burying them very deep in the sand on the sea shore, and when hatched by the heat of the sun, it tears away the sand that covers them, and the young come out. The Caiman, is a species of crocodile; a large and uncouth animal, the more curious in this respect, that it is produced from an egg, of the same size as that of the duck. The Chacon, is a lizard, which takes up its abode in the houses, and repeatedly articulates clearly the word toco. The Calo, is a bird, which has a kind of hollow shell in his head, and crows, at certain hours of the day, the same as the cock. The Taclobo, is a large species of the oyster, the shell of which will hold a pitcher of water; indeed they are used as vessels for holy water in the churches. Our historians mention many curiosities even more rare than these, but I do not enumerate them, as they seem to have been ill informed on the subject, and I fear with good reason, having been too much under the influence of the marvellous, they have given credit to the Indians, who are always desirous of distinguishing themselves by the relation of something very uncommon.