Isthmus

“ In the isthmus this species is known only from the humid forests of the Gulf lowlands; it is also known from Boca del Río, Veracruz, and from Teapa and Villa Hermosa, Tabasco.
Calling males were found on aquatic plants above the water in deep ponds in the forest where it was necessary for the collector to wade waist-deep in water to obtain them. The call is a loud "hah-onk." Individuals, when active at night, are yellowish tan above with light olive green spots. ”

“ Occasionally, from the top of the isthmus, a nearly but not quite median pyramidal lobe runs up toward the hyoid bone, while in other cases the isthmus may be absent. The gland is relatively larger in women and 635 children than in the adult male. It is enclosed in a capsule of cervical fascia and is supplied by the superior and inferior thyroid arteries on each side, though occasionally a median thyroidea ima artery is present. ”

“ To amphibians inhabiting the foothills and mountains of southern México and northern Central America, the isthmus presents a great barrier to dispersal. For example, salamanders of the genus Thorius, the mexicanus and augusti groups of the genus Eleutherodactylus, the bistincta group of the genus Hyla, and the genus Tomodactylus occur on the Mexican Plateau and southward into the mountains of Oaxaca. Nevertheless, no members of these groups are present in the Guatemalan-Chiapan Highlands. ”

“ The snout-vent length is 42.0 mm. in a male and averages 59.5 mm. in three adult females. The tarsal fold is low and extends about half the length of the tarsus; the first and second fingers are subequal in length; the tibiotarsal articulation extends beyond the tip of the snout. The patches of vomerine teeth lie between the posterior margins of the choanae. The throat and belly are immaculate, and the soles of the feet are dark. In the isthmus this species can be distinguished from Eleutherodactylus rugulosus by less rugose skin on the dorsum and absence of dark ventral mottling. ”

“ Specimens from the Pacific lowlands are typical of Gastrophryne usta gadowi Boulenger in possessing a thin line on the posterior surface of the thighs and a thin line from the snout to the vent. Of nine specimens from the Gulf lowlands (Ayentes, Novillero, and San Lorenzo) , seven have a middorsal line; this is narrow in four and wide in three. Five have the stripes on the thighs. Two specimens from the middle of the isthmus (Tolosita) have no stripes on the thighs; one has a thin middorsal line, and the other has a broad line. The adult males have a black throat; females have a mottled one. ”

“ If the opening into the trachea has not been made large enough to receive the tube, as often happens to the young operator, and even to the experienced when he fears to extend his incision on account of the proximity of the thyroid isthmus, no resource remains but to carefully enlarge it, pushing the thyroid isthmus or veins from before the course of the knife. ”

“ The Scironian Way led from Megara to Corinth, along the eastern shore of the isthmus. At a short distance from Megara it passed along the Scironian rocks, a long range of precipices overhanging the sea, forming the extremity of a spur which descends from Mount Geranium. This portion of the road is now known as the 'Kaki Scala,' and is passed with some difficulty. The way seems to have been no more than a footpath until the time of Adrian, who made a good carriage road throughout the whole distance. There is but one other route by which the isthmus can be traversed. ”

“ In the Amphibia the thyroid forms numerous vesicles close to the anterior end of the pericardium. In Reptilia it lies close to the trachea, and in the Chelonia and Crocodilia is paired. In birds it is also paired and lies near the origin of the carotid arteries. In Mammalia the lateral lobes make their first appearance. In the lower orders of this class the isthmus is often absent. (For further details and literature see R. Wiedersheim’s Vergleichende Anatomie der Wirbeltiere, Jena, 1902, and also for literature, Quain’s Anatomy, London, 1896.) ”

“ P4 unknown, but probably formed like p4; p4 persistently biprismatic, two crowns joined at mid-points by relatively narrow isthmus separating lateral re-entrant folds; anterior lophid of p4 having distinct anteroexternal inflection; molars also biprismatic throughout life; two lophids of lower molars first uniting at mid-points as in p4, and, with additional wear, m1 and m2 secondarily uniting at edge of protomeres and forming isolated enamel fossette between point of connection (detailed description of stages of wear discussed in account of phylogeny of subfamily) ”

“ There were settlements also at Maccan, Nappan and Minudie. The statement that the village of Beaubassin, in 1750, contained a hundred and forty houses, and a population numbering a thousand, seems improbable under the circumstances.
Fort Lawrence, the site of old Beaubassin, contains to-day less than forty houses, and not more than three hundred inhabitants, yet more land is under cultivation now than in any previous time in its history. It is highly probable that the whole population on the south side of the Isthmus was reckoned as belonging to Beaubassin. ”

“ The second genus of this sub-family is Helogenes from the Essequibo.
IV. Siluridæ Proteropteræ.—The rayed dorsal fin is always present, short, with not more than twelve short rays, and belongs to the abdominal portion of the vertebral column, being placed in advance of the ventrals. The adipose fin is always present and well developed, although frequently short. The extent of the anal is much inferior to that of the caudal vertebral column. The gill-membranes are not confluent with the skin of the isthmus, their posterior margin always remaining free even if they are united with each other. ”

“ It lies at the side of the trachea (4) , dorsad of the lateral margin of the sternohyoid muscle. Its cranial end is at the level of the caudal border of the cricoid cartilage. The isthmus (7) is a delicate band two millimeters wide which connects the caudal ends of the two lateral lobes. It passes ventrad of the trachea and in close contact with it. The thyroid has no duct.
The Thymus Gland. Glandula thymus (Fig. 107, d) .—The thymus gland is best developed in young kittens; in the adult cat it has partly or almost completely degenerated. ”

“ During the time that Ishtar is confined within the bounds of Aralu all fertility on the earth is suspended, both in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Knowledge of this disastrous state of affairs is conveyed to the gods by their messenger, Pap-sukal, who first tells the story to Shamash, the sun-god. Shamash weeps as he bears the matter before Ea and Sin, gods of the earth and the moon respectively; but Ea, to remedy the sterility of the earth, creates a being called Ashushu-namir, whom he dispatches to the underworld to demand the release of Ishtar. ”

“ The weeping of Tammuz symbolizes the decay of vegetation after the summer season. The misfortunes that afflict the bird, lion, and horse similarly indicate the loss of beauty and strength, which is the universal fate of those who once enjoyed those attributes. Ishtar, as the great mother, produces life and strength, but she is unable to make life and strength permanent. Popular belief makes her responsible for decay and death, since life and fertility appear to be in her hand. ”

“ Ancient legends related how the shepherd Dumuzi, son of Ea and Damkina, having excited the love of Ishtar while he was pasturing his flocks under the mysterious tree of Eridu, which covers the earth with its shade, was chosen by the goddess from among all others to be the spouse of her youth, and how, being mortally wounded by a wild boar, he was cast into the kingdom of Allat. One means remained by which he might be restored to the light of day: his wounds must be washed in the waters of the wonderful spring, and Ishtar resolved to go in quest of this marvellous liquid. ”

“ The goddess of the dead commanded her servant to 'sprinkle the Lady Ishtar with the water of life'" (op. cit., p. 44) .
In Chapter III. of Mr. Mackenzie's book, from which I have just [Pg 64] quoted, there is an interesting collection of quotations clearly showing that the conception of the vitalizing properties of the body moisture of gods is not restricted to Egypt, but is found also in Babylonia and India, in Western Asia and Greece, and also in Western Europe.
It has been suggested that the name Ishtar has been derived from Semitic roots implying "she who waters," "she who makes fruitful". ”

“ The goddess produces fertility, but cannot maintain it. Tammuz goes to the nether world. Ishtar repents, bewails her loss, and goes to seek for her consort and to rescue him. In rage she advances to Allatu, threatens to smash the door and break the lock unless admitted. The story in this form must have ended in the restoration of Tammuz. The identification of Ishtar with the planet Venus introduced a new factor. The disappearance of the planet fitted in well with the original nature-myth. The combination of the Ishtar-Tammuz story with this factor resulted in the tale as we have it now. ”

“ We now come to a curious part of the story, the romance of Izdubar and Ishtar. One of the strange and dark features of the Babylonian religion was the Ishtar or Venus worship, which was an adoration of the reproductive power of nature, accompanied by ceremonies which were a reproach to the country. The city of Erech, originally a seat of the worship of Anu, was now one of the foremost cities in this Ishtar worship. Certainly Ishtar is represented in the legends as living at the time, and as being the widow of Dumuzi, the ruler of Erech, and it is ”

“ Heabani took hold of the animal by its head and tail, while Izdubar slew it.
Ishtar on this cursed Izdubar, and descended to Hell or Hades to attempt once more to summon unearthly powers against Izdubar. She descends to the infernal regions, which are vividly described, and, passing through its seven gates, is ushered into the presence of the queen of the dead. The world of love goes wrong in the absence of Ishtar, and on the petition of the gods she is once more brought to the earth, ultimately Anatu, her mother, satisfying her vengeance by striking Izdubar with a loathsome disease. ”

“ The importance of the myth of Ishtar and Tammuz lies partly in the fact that, travelling westwards to Greece by way of Phœnicia, it furnished a groundwork for classic myths of the Adonis-Attis type, which still provide mythologists with matter for endless speculation. The mythological significance of the poem and the persons it mentions will be dealt with later; the theories concerning the primitive status of Tammuz and Ishtar are numerous and distinct, more than one of them being sufficiently plausible to call for a careful scrutiny. ”

“ According as the one or the other aspect of such a power is brought into the foreground, Ishtar becomes the mother of mankind, the fertile earth, the goddess of sexual love, and the creative force among animals, while at times she appears in hymns and myths as the general personification of nature.
We thus find in the post-Khammurabic period the pantheon assuming distinct shapes. The strong tendency towards concentrating in one deity—Marduk—the attributes of all others was offset by the natural desire to make the position of Marduk accord with the rank acquired by the secular rulers. ”

“ How far Itzamna may be identified with Itzamatul, the especial god of Itzamal, is perhaps doubtful, but at any rate it is a coincidence that both were important gods of healing. As regards Itzamatul it is said that his emblem was a hand, and that he was also known as Kabul, the “Strong Hand”; in this connection it is extremely interesting to note that two of the stelæ at Piedras Negras (Pl. XX) , one at Copan, [228] a relief at Palenque, and a fresco at Santa Rita in British Honduras, show a figure with a head-dress in which a hand appears as the central feature. ”

“ A sky-god, like Dagan, would mingle naturally with Anu, and enjoy like honours with him. The gods of all ranks associated with the sun or fire, Nusku, Gibil, and Dumuzi, who had not been at first received among the privileged group, obtained a place there by virtue of their assimilation to Shamash, and his secondary forms, Bel-Merodach, Ninib, and Nergal. Ishtar absorbed all her companions, and her name put in the plural, Ishtarati, “the Ishtars,” embraced all goddesses in general, just as the name Hani took in all the gods. ”

“ Ishtar is the evening star which precedes the appearance of the moon, and the morning star which heralds the approach of the sun: the brilliance of its light justifies the choice which made it an associate of the greater heavenly bodies. “In the days of the past.... Ea charged Sin, Shamash, and Ishtar with the ruling of the firmament of heaven; he distributed among them, with Anu, the command of the army of heaven, and among these three gods, his children, he apportioned the day and the night, and compelled them to work ceaselessly.” ”

“ The worship of Ištar, she being the goddess of love and war, was considerably more popular than that of her spouse, Tammuz, who, as among the western Semitic nations, was adored rather by the women than the men. Her worship was in all probability of equal antiquity, and branched out, so to say, in several directions, as may be judged by her many names, each of which had a tendency to become a distinct personality. ”