Biologia Centrali-Americana, or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America . d [No. 10] of the samecharacter, from which a low terrace runs out towards the north and then turns at rightangles to the west. The main group of terraces and buildings to the south is coveredwith a forest-growth well shown in Plate V. To the south of the Great Plaza there rises a broad stairway, which as it ascends theslope divides into three separate flights of steps, each narrowing towards the top(Plate VI., a). The space between the steps appeared to have been highly ornam
Biologia Centrali-Americana, or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America . d [No. 10] of the samecharacter, from which a low terrace runs out towards the north and then turns at rightangles to the west. The main group of terraces and buildings to the south is coveredwith a forest-growth well shown in Plate V. To the south of the Great Plaza there rises a broad stairway, which as it ascends theslope divides into three separate flights of steps, each narrowing towards the top(Plate VI., a). The space between the steps appeared to have been highly ornamented,and the carving (Plate IX., I) had probably fallen from that position. The steps on theright and left lead to level terraces, and the centre flight must have led to the temple[No. 11] which stood at a still greater elevation. This building presented theappearance of a formless heap of stones, out of which a huge ceiba tree was growing(Plate VI., b). Some portions of the chambers, which are shown in the accompanyingPlan, were excavated. The porches on each side probably extended some distance Plan of No. beyond the line of the walls of the building. The roof and superstructure had entirelydisappeared, but the inner wall was in places perfect up to the spring of the vault. A step about eighteen inches high and eighteen feet long (A to B, see Plan), formedof two blocks of stone, projected in front of the inner doorway; the face of this step isornamented with a number of figures seated cross-legged and covered with elaboratebreastplates and other ornaments in sharp and well-preserved carving (Plate a, and 22 COPAJST. Plate VIII.). A carved ornament (Plate VII., a) made up of several stones let into thewall, rises from this step on each side of the doorway and reaches to the top of thewall. This carving is, I believe, meant to represent a huge serpents head without alower jaw; but the design is executed in a conventional form, and its meaning can onlybe made out by
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