JAMAICA, from "Haymaca," a native In dian word signifying "island of fountains' or more literally '
F. On the plateau the annual variation is scarcely 9'; for example, at Saint Elizabeth the maximum is 75° F. and the minimum 67° F. The average rainfall is 66 inches, the extremes being 100 inches on the high mountains and 44 inches at Kingston. The death rate is 20.9 in 1,000; but this favorable showing, as com pared with the other islands of the Antilles, is due much less to natural advantages than to the strict enforcement of local sanitary and quaran tine regulations. The population in 1916 was 904,681. The census of 1911 gave as the num ber of whites, 15,605; colored, 163,201; black, 630,181; East Indian, 17,380; Chinese, 2,111; not stated 2,905. The birth rate is little less than twice the death rate. The Jamaica negroes are fairly good laborers when well fed; the menial work of the island is performed by them, and they are regarded as cheerful, hon est and respectful servants. They have no share whatever, in the government.
Jamaica has no distinctively native mammals. There are many species of lizards, including the large iguana, a few harmless snakes and the slightly poisonous centipede and scorpion. In the lowlands mosquitoes, ants, sand-flies, but terflies, fireflies and beetles, parrots, pigeons, water-fowls and 20 different kinds of song birds are common. Edible marine fish arc seldom caught near the island, but the streams contain a few fresh-water species. The flora is distinguished from that of the other Antillean regions by the total absence of the royal palm, and by the abundance of pimentos, or allspice trees, which are rarely found elsewhere. Com mon trees are the ceiba, mango, wild orange, cocoa-palm, plantain, fustic, logwood and cedar. Begonias, orchids, ferns and grasses abound, except on the southern coast, which has a flora of the arid type, including the cactus, thorny acacias and similar plants.