:::::::::*? T^YO BIRD-LOVERS IN MEXICO B-"'--" 



burnt plain which separated the city from the surround- 

 ing hills. 



The air in early morning was as keen and fresh as 

 that which blows across a Nova Scotia upland, and 

 we forgot that we were well south of the Tropic of 

 Cancer. The pumice which crackled underfoot showed 

 why the poor grass and weeds shrivel at the first lack 

 of moisture at the beginning of this rainless season. 

 There was nothing in the level country extending be- 

 fore us mile upon mile, to suggest that we were at an 

 altitude above the clouds of distant New York — a mile 

 above the sea. We almost expected to see the Mexican 

 clouds appear close overhead, perhaps just clearing the 

 fields as they floated along. But here they were, as high 

 as ever above the ground. 



A little distance beyond the last hut, we came upon 

 a number of bare-legged, sandalled Mexicans shivering 

 in their red serajjcs. Thev had scraped away the sur- 

 face covering of pumice and were grubbing up a bed 

 of clay — literally making " bricks without straw." 

 This recalls one of the greatest delights of city life in 

 Mexico — the house with a jxifio or open central court, 

 brio-ht with sunlijiht all day and oHstening in the stiir- 

 lisrht or moonliii'ht at nioht. Yet in such a house one 

 lives more secluded than in a solid American dwelling. 

 It is an ideal home for such a climate as this — perpet- 

 ual camping out. 



We realized why these adobe houses blended so 

 ^ 38 ^ 



