TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. The Table of Contents was created by the Transcriber and is placed in the public domain. The tables in this book are best viewed using a monospace font. Many tables in this book were very wide, and have been split into two or more parts. Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. THE REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA [Illustration: (Seal of the Philadelphia Museum.)] BY GUSTAVO NIEDERLEIN CHIEF OF THE SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT THE PHILADELPHIA COMMERCIAL MUSEUM THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUMS, Established by Ordinance of City Councils, 1894. 233 South Fourth Street. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. _Ex-Officio._ HON. DANIEL H. HASTINGS, Governor of Pennsylvania. HON. CHARLES F. WARWICK, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. JAMES L. MILES, President of Select Council. WENCEL HARTMAN, President of Common Council. SAMUEL B. HUEY, President of the Board of Public Education. DR. EDWARD BROOKS, Superintendent of Public Schools. NATHAN C. SCHAEFFER, State Superintendent of Public Schools. J. T. ROTHROCK, B. S., M. D., State Forestry Commissioner. Permanent Trustees, WILLIAM PEPPER, M. D., LL. D., CHARLES H. CRAMP, THOMAS DOLAN, GEORGE F. EDMUNDS, WILLIAM M. ELKINS, MRS. CORNELIUS STEVENSON, Sc.D., SIMON GRATZ, THOMAS MEEHAN, DANIEL BAUGH, W. W. FOULKROD, FRANK THOMSON, JOHN WANAMAKER, P. A. B. WIDENER, SYNDEY L. WRIGHT. OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. WM. PEPPER, M. D., LL.D., President. CHARLES H. CRAMP, Vice-President. SYDNEY L. WRIGHT, Treasurer. WILLIAM M. WATTS, Secretary. OFFICERS OF THE MUSEUM. WILLIAM P. WILSON, Sc.D., Director. WILLIAM HARPER, Chief of the Bureau of Information. C. A. GREEN, Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Information. WILFRED H. SCHOFF, Foreign Secretary of the Bureau of Information. GUSTAVE NIEDERLEIN, Chief of the Scientific Department. WM. B. MARSHALL, Curator of Natural Products. LOUIS J. MATOS, Chief of Laboratories. CONTENTS Page Introduction 5 Chapter I. TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL WEALTH. 7 Chapter II. CLIMATE OF COSTA RICA. 25 Chapter III. CHARACTER OF VEGETATION. 32 Chapter IV. FAUNA. 43 Chapter V. THE ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS. 46 Chapter VI. POPULATION. 51 Chapter VII. IMMIGRATION AND COLONIES. 74 Chapter VIII. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. 77 Chapter IX. TRANSPORTATION, POST AND TELEGRAPH. 81 Chapter X. AGRICULTURE AND LIVE STOCK. 90