. Two bird-lovers in Mexico . hampions. Short tolerancehad the first plume-hunter—an American — whobegan his nefarious work in the Chapala marshes. Therouyfh but beautv-loviuff c((haUer<)f< who owned thehaciendas surrounding the lake talked it over, formed— to all intents and purposes — an Audubon Society,ran the millinery airent ofP, and forbade the shooting^of these birds. There was no fine or imprisonment forshooting egrets. — only a wides])read verlial revolverlaw, more significant and potent tlum many of ourinscribed legislative enactments. Loons and grebes deliglited in tlie swampy
. Two bird-lovers in Mexico . hampions. Short tolerancehad the first plume-hunter—an American — whobegan his nefarious work in the Chapala marshes. Therouyfh but beautv-loviuff c((haUer<)f< who owned thehaciendas surrounding the lake talked it over, formed— to all intents and purposes — an Audubon Society,ran the millinery airent ofP, and forbade the shooting^of these birds. There was no fine or imprisonment forshooting egrets. — only a wides])read verlial revolverlaw, more significant and potent tlum many of ourinscribed legislative enactments. Loons and grebes deliglited in tlie swampy end ofthe lake — tlie former shrieking and diving in tliejoyous abandon of their wild, unhunted lives. Thegreat Western Grebe was especially interesting, — an-other species which must fight for very existencein its Northern haunts, its silky breast having foundfatal favour in the eyes of milliners. Hundreds of White Pelicans are said to make theirwinter home here, breeding far to the northward ; but <^ 110 ^. :::::::::C THE MARSHES OF CHAPALA B--. a distant glimpse of a few of the great birds is all thatmay be hoped for in a flying visit. To-day our horses were headed for the floodedmarshes east of the lake, and, leaving the stream withits green borders, we rode on through the chaparralthickets, Brown Towhees and Curve-billed Thrashersspringing up at every step. Beyond a distant hne ofwillows, our guide promised us muchos j^^^j^^os deagua/ but there was no hint of changing conditionsuntil we left La Barca far behind. Few hunters thought of looking for sport elsewherethan on the waters of the lake itself, and so we werenot surprised to find the birds tame and unconcerned atour presence. Little streams appeared, with coots andhandsome little Scaup Ducks floating on their quietsurface, and sandpipers teetering along the muddybanks. At last we leaped two ditches, the guide lead-ing the way through an opening in the willow tangle,and we found ourselves at the edge
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