Tamaulipas

“ In the buildings of Santa Anna de Tamaulipas, there is no uniformity of style, and no pretensions to beauty. American, English, and Spanish, are intermingled with the rude hut of the Indian. The population is as motley and heterogeneous as can well be conceived ”

“ The other lateral expedition moved against the city of Tampico. This place, the principal town in the state of Tamaulipas, and after Vera Cruz the chief port of Mexico on the Gulf coast, was physically remarkable. Land and water are perhaps nowhere more freakishly intermingled. But for practical purposes one may describe it adequately as on a low ridge—with the immense lagoon of Carpintero on the one hand and the deep, wide, heavy, greenish-brown Pánuco on the other—a little more than five miles from the Gulf, as the river flows. ”

“ Were it possible to remove them, I think there is little doubt that Santa Anna de Tamaulipas would soon become one of the most flourishing seaport towns in Mexico. Its [Pg 100] local situation is favorable—it is the nearest point on the coast to the richest of the mining districts, and the place from which the greater portion of the specie is exported. It has also a considerable business in dye-woods and hides. ”

“ We present the following table, prepared in Mexico for the purpose of throwing more light on the subject:
Table of Population in various Departments in different years — Relative exceess — Births and deaths.
[2] males decreases, until the reverse occurs as the degrees of latitude augment. We must, however, except from this rule the department or state of Tamaulipas, in which the constancy with which nature sustains the excess of males, is somewhat extraordinary. ”

“ Tabasco, Vera Cruz, and Tamaulipas were occupied by Xicalancas, Totonacs, and Huastecs, respecting whom little more than their names is known. Southward in Oajaca were already settled the Miztecs and Zapotecs. The Otomís, a very numerous people, whose primitive history is altogether unknown, occupied a large part of the valley of Mexico, and the surrounding mountains, particularly toward the north and north-west. ”

“ Corpus Christi, claimed by Tamaulipas, had been made an American port of delivery. A collection district had been established in the intermediate region. The declaration of Polk's Message, December, 1845, that our jurisdiction had been extended to the Rio Grande, and Marcy's appended report, which announced that Taylor's instructions were to regard that stream as our boundary, had raised no storm. ”

“ The population of the States of Sonora, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Tabasco, Aguas Calientes, Campeche, Colima, and the territories of Tepic and Lower California, the total area of which is more than one-fourth the entire country, is slightly in excess of 1,380,000, or a density of only about 2.7 inhabitants to the square kilometre. The central and southern portions of the republic are the most thickly populated, the Western and Northern States being the most sparsely settled, and the Gulf region, or eastern coast, contains a larger number of inhabitants than the Pacific Coast region. ”

“ A few American merchants have established themselves here. Soto la Marina is celebrated in history as the spot where the unfortunate Emperor Iturbide landed in 1824.
The main line will run almost due south from this port to Tampico, via Cruces, Realito, Bejarano, Sanapa, and Aldama; while a branch will be extended via Padilla [9] to Victoria, the capital of the State of Tamaulipas, where it will connect with the Mexican Southern Railroad. (Vide Section VII. ) The New York, Texas and Mexican Railroad will also cross the eastern branch of the Mexican Central Railway at Tampico. ”

“ The land is well watered. Fine vallies extend along the Rio del Norte or Rio Grande, the Tigre, Borbon, Panuco and Dolores. On the coast are found the lagunes of La Madre, Morales and Tampico.
The climate of the interior of Tamaulipas is mild and healthy; but on the coast an intense heat prevails during the greater part of the year, and, combined with the rank vegetation and moisture, produces diseases similar to those which scourge the adjacent shores of Vera Cruz. As soon as the northers begin to blow, all nature—animal and vegetable—is refreshed by the grateful change ”

“ The integral parts of the Federation are: the States of Aguascalientes, Colima, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, Oajaca, Puebla, Querétaro, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlascala, Valle de Mexico, Veracruz, Yucatan, Zacatecas, and the Territory of Lower California. Article 44. The States of Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Durango, Guerrero, Mexico, Puebla, Queretaro, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and the Territory of Lower California shall preserve the limits which they now have. ”

“ The chief productions and the indigenous plants are similar to those found in the State of Vera Cruz; and considerable trade is carried on with the interior—especially with the States of San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, and Queretaro,—in mules, oxen, horses, honey and wax. The coasting and foreign commerce is conducted principally in the ports of Tampico de Tamaulipas and Matamoros. From these places, large quantities of European and North American manufactures, enter the middle and northern States of the republic. ”

“ Romero, at this time the southern outpost of Federal territory, standing guard against the Rebel forces in Tamaulipas, is a sun-baked little town sprawling about a naked plaza, and, except for the presence of Colonel Blanco's detachment of troops, it would have presented much the same appearance as any one of the lazy border villages. ”

“ This type of climate is characterized by the coolest month having a temperature of between -3° and 18° C. In the northeastern and central parts of Tamaulipas, including the Sierra de Tamaulipas, Ciudad Victoria, Gómez Farías, Rancho Pano Ayuctle, and Llera, the average temperature of the warmest month is less than 22° C.; the winters are dry and not rigorous, and the wettest month has ten times as much rain as the driest. In the Sierra San Carlos the average temperature of the warmest month is less than 22° C., and the rainy season is in the autumn. ”

“ Let us suppose, for instance, that from the mouth of the Rio Grande a boundary line should be drawn up to Laredo, the headpoint of steam navigation on the Rio Grande, and in the latitude of Laredo a line from thence west to the gulf of California, that territory would embrace, besides the old province of Texas, a small portion of the States of Tamaulipas and Coahuila, the greatest part of the State of Chihuahua, the State of Sonora, New Mexico, and both Californias. ”

“ In Yucatan the reactionists possessed only Mérida; Tabasco was beset by the liberals; Chiapas was entirely under the control of the latter; and so were Oajaca, Guerrero, nearly the whole of Michoacan, Sonora, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, and Chihuahua, Tehuantepec, Colima, and even Tlascala; and among the states where Zuloaga's authority was recognized, such as Vera Cruz, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Mexico, there were some now in most important points occupied by the constitutionalists. ”

“ The deputation, however, declined accompanying our forces towards their destination, and halting a few miles from the Point, sent a formal protest of the prefect of the northern district of Tamaulipas against our occupation of the disputed country. ”

“ Nycticeius humeralis has the same distributional pattern in Tamaulipas as has Lasiurus borealis in that both are represented there by two subspecies, one known only from Matamoros and the other occurring in the rest of the state. Bats of this species (N. h. mexicanus) from Ciudad Victoria and some from the Sierra de Tamaulipas were shot in flight in evening; others from the last-mentioned locality were taken in mist nets. Lactating females (22 specimens) were collected in June and July. ”

“ The major barriers to dispersal of mammals in Tamaulipas are three (see Fig. 2) . Two of them, the Río Grande Barrier and the Sierra Madre Barrier, are physiographical, but the Tropical Barrier is maintained by a combination of environmental factors. The three barriers separate the four Biotic Provinces in Tamaulipas. The Sierra Madre Oriental, which forms the Potosian Biotic Province, lies between the Tamaulipan and Chihuahuan provinces. The Tropical barrier separates the Tamaulipan and Veracruzian biotic provinces. ”

“ Its public buildings are good and it has the improvements of a modern town. It has a fine climate, a good trade, and is a summer resort for residents of the coast. The city is near the Rio Santander, and was once called Nuevo Santander. Among other towns in the state may be mentioned: Matamoros (q.v.) , on the Rio Grande; Tampico (q.v.) , on the Panuco, the principal port of the state ”

“ During the winter of 1846–47 and to some extent later, the garrison of Tampico was menaced by plans for an uprising, to be assisted by outside forces, and sometimes it was feared that a move to capture the city would be launched from Tula in the hope of embarrassing Scott’s communications; but the Americans, though not strong in numbers there, were vigilant and well protected by fortifications. Besides, the authorities of Tamaulipas, now living on fairly good terms with the invaders, had little wish to take part in active hostilities. ”

“ Justice was administered there by courts appointed under the military authority, and a custom-house was established there, and a collector appointed, under the military and naval authority.
'On the 29th of December, 1846, military possession was taken by the United States of Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas; garrisons were established by the Americans at various posts in that State ”

“ Governors Agustin de Zavala, Juan Ruiz, Martin de Zavala — Congregas — Uprising of Natives — And Final Subjection — Political Division — Secularization of Missions — And Consequent General Insurrection — Governor Barbadillo — His Prudent Measures — More Difficulties — Population of Province — Sierra Gorda — Death of Zaraza — Governor José de Escandon — His Pacification and Conquest of Sierra Gorda — Condition of Tamaulipas — Escandon is Appointed Governor — He Founds Nuevo Santander — Numerous Towns and Missions are Founded — Statistics for 1757 — General Progress of the Colonies. ”

“ Zacatecas has altered less than some of the administrations, the present state being bounded N. by Coahuila, N. and N. W. by Durango, W. and S. W. and S. by Jalisco, S. by Aguas Calientes, E. by San Luis Potosí; area, 25,230 sq. m.; pop. 585,640; capital of same name, about lat. 22° 40 ́ N., pop. about 60,000.
[IV'-11] Pike's "St. Louis" corresponds, though inexactly, to present State of San Luis Potosí, lying among Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and a small extent of Vera Cruz on the E., Zacatecas on the W., Coahuila on the N., and Guanajuato, Querétaro, and Hidalgo on the S.; area, 24,450 sq. m. ”

“ The only mammal endemic to the Potosian Province in Tamaulipas is Cryptotis pergracilis pueblensis. Other mammals that occur mainly in this Province are: Sorex saussurei; Notiosorex crawfordi; Glaucomys volans herreranus; Cratogeomys castanops planifrons; Perognathus nelsoni; Liomys irroratus alleni; Reithrodontomys fulvescens griseoflavus; Microtus mexicanus subsimus; Ursus americanus eremicus; Conepatus leuconotus texensis ”

“ Endemic mammals of the Tamaulipan Biotic Province, in the part of it that is in Tamaulipas, are the following: Scalopus inflatus; Lepus californicus curti; Spermophilus spilosoma oricolus; Cratogeomys castanops tamaulipensis; Dipodomys ordii parvabullatus; and Sigmodon hispidus solus. Other characteristic mammals of this Province in the state of Tamaulipas are: Sylvilagus floridanus connectens; S. audubonii parvulus; Lepus californicus merriami; Perognathus merriami merriami ”

“ From Tamaulipas, the northeasternmost state in the Mexican Republic, 146 kinds of mammals, belonging to 72 genera, are here reported. Mammals that are strictly marine in habit are not included. The state is crossed in its middle by the Tropic of Cancer. Elevations vary from sea level on the Golfo de México to more than 2700 meters in the Sierra Madre Oriental; most of the state is below 300 meters in elevation. Its area is 79,602 square kilometers (30,732 square miles) . ”

“ Representatives of the tropical genera Micronycteris, Sturnira, Artibeus, Enchistenes, Desmodus, Diphylla, and Molossus have their northern distributional limits in this Province. The non-flying mammals characteristic of the Province in Tamaulipas are: Philander opossum pallidus; Marmosa mexicana; Ateles geoffroyi velerosus; Geomys tropicalis; Oryzomys melanotis rostratus; O. alfaroi huastecae; O. fulvescens engracie (endemic to this Province in Tamaulipas) ; O. f. fulvescens; Reithrodontomys mexicanus; Peromyscus orchraventer (endemic) ; Neotoma micropus angustapalata; Eira barbara senex ”

“ Are the closest relatives of these mammals on Padre and Mustang islands of Texas, instead of on the mainland of Tamaulipas, or are the mammals on the barrier beach distinct from all others? These were questions that Dr. von Wedel of Oklahoma City and I asked ourselves in March of 1950 when we were in southern Texas. With the aim in mind of answering these questions, Dr. von Wedel arranged round-trip transportation, by air, for the two of us between Brownsville, Texas, and Boca Jesús María. The latter place is a "pass", tidal inlet, through the long barrier beach. ”

“ The Montane route was used by mammals of boreal affinities (Microtus and Neotoma) , that moved into Tamaulipas from the north; also in this category are bats of the family Vespertilionidae. For movement from south to north, the route was used by several species native to México, for example, Cratogeomys castanops. The [Pg 378] seaward slope of the montane area has enabled some tropical mammals to move farther north than they have done at higher and lower elevations. Philander opossum seems to be an example. ”