. A naturalist in Mexico : being a visit to Cuba, northern Yucatan and Mexico . neday was so much like another that a description of eachwould be but a repetition. I was much interested oneafternoon in the habits of a flock of blue jays; as I ap-proached the flock, they flew across the road in a perfectstring, presenting a fine shot. The number and beauty of the birds did not equal ourexpectations. The majority we saw were small and ob-scurely colored; they were similar in general appearance tosuch as are met with in southern Florida. Occasionally aflock of parrots, green, with a patch of whit
. A naturalist in Mexico : being a visit to Cuba, northern Yucatan and Mexico . neday was so much like another that a description of eachwould be but a repetition. I was much interested oneafternoon in the habits of a flock of blue jays; as I ap-proached the flock, they flew across the road in a perfectstring, presenting a fine shot. The number and beauty of the birds did not equal ourexpectations. The majority we saw were small and ob-scurely colored; they were similar in general appearance tosuch as are met with in southern Florida. Occasionally aflock of parrots, green, with a patch of white on the fore-head, would come at early morning to the trees near ourhut. They would feed quietly, sometimes chattering insubdued tones, but setting up a harsh scream and flyingoff, on being disturbed. Humming-birds we did not see atthis time, although we afterwards found them in the we saw only at a distance, sweeping round at agreat height over the village. The Mexican Goshawk{Asiurina plagiata), was quite abundant. Flycatchers, 28 A NATURALIST IN finches, tanagers, and several other small birds, were quiteabundant. Insects were more numerous in this neighbor-hood than in any previously visitedThese were, however, mostly ants andbeetles. But few species of butter-flies were seen, and these of a small,yellow variety. As soon as night approached,swarms of goat-suckers made theirappearance, wheeling about in a noise-less manner, in chase of night-flyinginsects. They sometimes descendedand settled on the pathway, squattingMEXICAN GOSHAWK. dowu ou their heels, and were thenhard to distinguish from the surrounding soil. In the day-time they lay concealed in the woods, and venture forthonly at night. They make no nest, but lay their eggs onthe ground. March 4th we took our last ramble through tnis delight-ful region. The whole of the country for a score of mileswas covered with an almost pathless forest, and there werebut few roads which penetrated it. One
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