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36 M E R M E R torn. ii. p. 209, pi. 283), inhabiting South America, of which but few specimens have been obtained, having some general resemblance to M. serrator, but much more darkly coloured, and M. australis, Hombron and Jacquemont (Ann. Sc. Nat, Zoologie, ser. 2, xvi. p. 320 ; Voy. cm Pol Sud, Oiseaux, pi. 31, fig. 2), as yet known only by the unique example in the Paris Museum procured by the French Antarctic expedition in the Auckland Islands. This last species may perhaps be found to visit New Zealand, and should certainly be looked for there. Often associated with the Mergansers is the genus Merganetta, the so-called Torrent-Ducks of South America, of which three species are said to exist ; but they possess spiny tails and have their wings armed with a spur. Whether they should be referred to the Merginx or the Erismaturinx the Spiny-tailed Ducks proper is a ques tion that further investigation must decide. (A. N.) MERGUI, a district of British Burmah, between 9 58 and 13 24 N. lat. It forms the southernmost district of the Tenasserim division, and is bounded on the N. by Tavoy, E. and S. by Siam, and W. by the Bay of Bengal, with an area of 7810 square miles. Two principal ranges cross Mergui from north to south, running almost parallel to each other for a considerable distance, with the Tenasserim river winding between them till it turns south and flows through a narrow rocky gorge in the westernmost range to the sea. Amongst these mountain ranges and their subsidiary spurs are several fertile plains, densely clothed with luxuriant vegetation. Indeed, the whole district, from the water s edge to the loftiest mountain on the eastern boundary, may be regarded as almost unbroken forest, only 73 square miles being under cultivation. The timber trees found towards the interior, and on the higher elevations, are of great size and beauty, the most valuable being teak, then-gan (Hopea odorata), ka-ynyeng (Dipterocarpus tuber- culatus), &c. The coast-line of the district, studded with an archipelago of two hundred and seven islands, is much broken, and for several miles inland is very little raised above sea-level, and is drained by numerous muddy tidal creeks. Southwards of Mergui town it consists chiefly of low mangrove swamps alternating with small fertile rice plains. After passing the mangrove limits, the ground to the east gradually rises till it becomes mountainous, even to the banks of the rivers, and finally culminates in the grand natural barrier dividing British Burmah from Assam. The four principal rivers are the Tenasserim, Le-gnya, Pakchan, and Palouk, the first three being navigable for a considerable distance of their course. Coal is found in the district on the banks of the Tenasserim and its tributaries. Gold, copper, iron, and manganese are also found in various parts of the district. From the notices of early travellers it appears that Mergui, when under Siamese rule, before it passed to the Burmese, was a rich and densely peopled country. On its occupation by the British in 1824-25 it was found to be almost depopulated the result of border warfare and of the cruelties exercised by the Burmese con querors. At that time the entire inhabitants only numbered 10,000 ; in 1876 they had increased to 51,846 (26,767 males and 25,079 females). Classified according to religion, there were Buddhists, 48,750 ; Mohammedans, 2533 ; Hindus, 353 ; Christians and others, 210. The district contains only one town (Mergui) with more than 5000 inhabitants. Only 73 square miles of the district area were under cultivation in 1876, but this area is steadily though slowly increasing. The principal manufactures are sugar-boiling and tin- smelting. Mergui carries on a flourishing trade with Rangoon, Bassein, and the Straits Settlements. The chief exports consist of rice, rattans, torches, dried fish, areca-nuts, sesamum seeds, molasses, sea-slugs, edible birds nests, and tin. The staple imports are piece goods, tobacco, cotton, earthenware, tea, and sugar. The imperial revenue in 1876 amounted to 18,208. The climate is remarkably healthy, the heat due to its tropical situation being moderated by land and sea breezes. The rainfall in 1876 amounted to 165^ inches. The prevalent diseases are simple and remittent fevers, bronchitis, rheumatism, and small-pox. MERGTJI, chief town of the above district, is situated on an island at the mouth of the Tenasserim river. The population (10,731 in 1876-77) consists of many races Talaings, Burmese, Malays, Bengalis, Madrasis, Siamese, and Chinese. Considerable trade is carried on with other Burmese ports and the Straits Settlements. The harbour admits vessels drawing 18 feet of water. MERIDA, a city of 7390 inhabitants (1877), in the province of Badajoz, Spain, lies about 36 miles by rail eastward from Badajoz, on the Madrid and Badajoz line, on a small eminence on the right bank of the Guadiana. It is connected by a branch line of rail with Llerena on the south-east. The population is mostly agricultural. The city owes its interest entirely to its Roman remains, which are numerous and extensive. Of these one of the most important is the bridge of 81 arches of granite, erected by Trajan ; it is 2575 feet long, 26 feet broad, and 33 feet above the bed of the river ; it was unfortunately seriously injured during the siege of Badajoz in 1812. Of the colossal wall that formerly surrounded the town all that remains is a fine fragment, built of dressed stone, on the spot formerly occupied by the castellum, and where the provisor of the order of Santiago afterwards had his residence (El Conventual). In the town are some relics of temples of Diana, Mars, Fortuna, Jupiter, and others ; and the Arco de Santiago, 44 feet high, also dates from Trajan s time ; it has unfortunately been stripped of its marble casing. Of the aqueduct from the laguna of Albuera thirty-seven enormous piers are still standing, with ten arches in three tiers built of brick and granite. To the east of the city is the circus, measuring some 1356 by 335 feet ; the eight rows of seats still remain. Further east ward is the almost perfect theatre, and near it are the remains of the amphitheatre, or, as some prefer to call it, naumachia (Baiio de los Ilomanos). Augusta Emerita was built in 25 B.C. by the emeriti of the fifth and tenth legions who had served in the Cantabriaii war under Augustus. It rose to great splendour and importance as the capital of Lusitania. During the Gothic period it became an episcopal see, and several provincial councils known to history were held there. It was taken by Musa in 711, and reconquered by Alphonsoin 1228. MERIDA, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatan, stands in a great plain in the north of the peninsula, on a surface of limestone rock, about 25 miles from the port of Progreso on the Gulf of Mexico, with which it is connected by a railway opened in 1880. It is a well-built city, with broad streets and squares ; and the flat-roofed stone houses, after the style introduced by the Spaniards, give a Moorish colour to the general view. Besides the cathedral, an im posing edifice of the 16th century, the bishop s palace, and the Government house (all of which are situated in the prin cipal square), the most notable building is the Franciscan monastery (1547-1600), which once harboured within its | high and turreted walls no fewer than two thousand friars, but has been allowed to fall into complete decay since their expulsion in 1820. For a long time Merida has had the reputation of being one of the principal seats of culture in Mexico ; and it possesses, besides the ecclesiastical seminary, schools of law, medicine, and pharmacy, a literary institute, a public library, a theatre, and a considerable number of periodical publications. Commercially it has shared in the prosperity which Yucatan in recent years owes to the development of the Sisal hemp trade ; and its manu factures embrace cotton goods, cigars, sugar, and rum. The population, estimated about 1840 as 25,000, was found i in 1871 to number 33,025. The Mayas still form numeri cally the strongest element. Previous to the Spanish conquest the site of Merida was occupied by the Maya town of Tehoo, which contained so great a number of artificial stone-mounds that the new-comers had abundant

material for all their buildings. The foundation of the