:::::::::=*x TWO BIRD -LOVERS IN MEXICO B-"""" 



From their sinewy folds of death to the beauty and 

 grace of a snow-white egret is, indeed, an extreme ; 

 but here snake and bird lived in close association, — 

 finding in the same swamp rest, shelter, and food. 

 We in the North have neo-lected the eg-rets until 

 well-nigh the last survivor has been murdered ; but 

 here in this wild place, where, outside of the towns, 

 a man's best law and safeguard is in his liolster, these 

 birds have already found champions. Short tolerance 

 had the first plume-hunter — an American — who 

 began his nefarious work in the Chapala marshes. The 

 rouyfh but beautv-loviuff c((haUer<)f< who owned the 

 haciendas 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 for 

 shooting egrets. — only a wides])read verlial " revolver 

 law," more significant and potent tlum many of our 

 inscribed legislative enactments. 



Loons and grebes deliglited in tlie swampy end of 

 the lake — tlie former shrieking and diving in tlie 

 joyous abandon of their wild, unhunted lives. The 

 great Western Grebe was especially interesting, — an- 

 other species which must fight for very existence 

 in its Northern haunts, its silky breast having found 

 fatal favour in the eyes of milliners. 



Hundreds of White Pelicans are said to make their 

 winter home here, breeding far to the northward ; but 



<^ 110 ^ 



