agua caliente hot water
agua tapada lukewarm water
alamito small poplar
álamo poplar, cottonwood tree (Populus fremontii)
arroyo rivulet, brook
aura turkey buzzard or turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)
ballena whale
binorama (huisache) acacia tree(Acasia farnesiana)
boca mouth (of a river)
calaveras de gentiles skulls of pagans
cañada valley
candelaria feast of the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (2 February)
candelero candle stick
cardón giant cactus(Pachycereus pringlei)
carpintero woodpecker
carrizal giant reed-grass(Arundo donax)
casa de Montezuma Montezuma’s house
casa pintada the painted house
chacuacua california quail(Lophortyx californicus)
chaparral collective name for a group of, usually
thorny plants or dwarf trees; terrain covered with these plants
chicuacua see note 91
chicuate owl of the plains(Glaudicium brasilianum)
chile con carne ground meat with pepper sauce
choya(= cholla) a cactus species (Opuntia cholla)
chuparosa (= chupamirto) colibri, hummingbird
churéa roadrunner(Geococcyx californianus)
concho shell
confituria(=confitura) mulberry tree (trophis mexicana) see note 86
coromuel apparently a southern wind, see note 47
corrál stock yard, barnyard
coyote prairie wolf
cueva grotto, cave
cuevita small cave
damiana damiana (Turnera diffusa), see notes 58 and 72
defunto deceased
desecho dried out
dispensa exemption
ensenada cove, small bay
frijol kidney bean
gallina chicken
garza white heron(Ardea blanca, Garzetta candissima)
golondrina an Euphorbia species (Euphorbia prostrata or E. leucophylla)
huamoche (= guamúchil) a tamarind, see note 60
huerta vegetable garden, orchard
huitacoche (= cuicacoche) cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillum)
huitacochone apparently some bird, see note 43
indicios de la gentildad traces of the heathens
lachusa (= lechusa) a small owl (Strix passerina)
laguna lagoon
lariate lariat, see note 62
lazo lasso
legua Spanish mile, see note 83
liza a mullet species(Mugil cephalus), see note 74
machete cutlass
madroño madroño, arbute tree (Arbutus menziesii)
mangle mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)
manita(= manito) a small pestle, see note 70
manta raya giant ray, manta ray(Raia gigantea)
mesa table land
metate grindstone for corn, mortar
mesquite mesquite (Prosopissp.)
mezcal an Agave species
modus operandi(lat.) procedure
mono caricature, see note 98
montanero mountaineer
muchacho boy, youngster
naturalista naturalist
nolens volens(lat.) unwillingly
olla cauldron, cooking pot
onza Mexican cougar(Felis onza)
orchilla archil, a lichen producing a violet dye, chilla weed (Lichen roccella)
palo de la flecha “jumping bean tree” (Sebastiana sp.)
palo incino evergreen oak
panoche(= panocha) raw sugar
parrita small grape vine
pascóla a Yaqui dance, see note101
péon laborer
pichilingue a nickname for old-time pirates
piedra de los viejos the stone of the ancients
piedra pintada painted rock, rock covered with petroglyphs
pinole a kind of food, see note 92
pintura painting
pita an Aloe species, a fibre producing plant
pitahaya the fruit of several genera of Cactus, see notes41, 57
pito real “Royal woodpecker”(Melanerpes formicivorus angustifrons)
playita small beach
quelele carrion hawk, crested carcara(Polyborus cheriway)
quien sabe who knows?
rancheria group of huts, village
ranchero farmer
rancho a hut, farm
rincon corner
roble oak tree (Quercus grisea)
salado salty
salina salt pan
sarapé (= serape) serape, poncho, a blanket with a slit in the
middle, worn as an outer garment
señor gentleman, “mister.”
señorita young lady
señorita ranchera farm girl
siempre viva a species of several genera of plants which
revive after having been dry for a long time. see note 73.
sierra mountain range
sombrero hat
sonagé a tambourine
spiacevole ed orrida (it.) disagreeable and dreadful
taco a palm tree (Latiana borbonica)
tapacamina lesser nighthawk (Chordeillis acutipennis)
teneboi an ankle bracelet with tinkling objects
terra incognita (lat.) unknown territory
tijereta frigate bird (fregata minor)
tintero inkwell
tintorera female shark
tortilla corn meal cake
trucha trout (Agonostoma nasutum)
venta inn
yerba (= hierba) de la flecha “arrow tree” (Sapium biloculare), see note 94.
zalate fig tree (Ficus padifolia, F. palmeri)
zenzóntle mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus)
zorrillo skunk (Mephitis putorius)