;:::::::»x TWO BIRD- LOVERS IN MEXICO a^::-- 



wide-topped scrap of blue or white paper, taken from 

 some food wrapping', and looking absurdly like a little 

 banner or standard. 



These prickly-skinned ants were seldom eaten by 

 birds, but, as the heat increased toward midday, when 

 flies and wasps appeared, birds quickly gathered. The 

 tiny Western Gnatcatchers were ever twanging their 

 little vocal cords, and they were perhaps the most 

 numerous small birds hereabouts, but up on the higher 

 ground along the barranca top, Audubon Warblers 

 excelled in numbers. Associating with the gnatcatchers, 

 though not so numerous, were Yellow-bellied Vireos — 

 a new accjuaintance. They have the habits of fly- 

 catching warblers rather than of vireos, and they were 

 constantly about the camj), snapping uj) tiny flies and 

 gnats, and uttering their sharp vhlt ! clut! The colour- 

 ing of tliese birds is rather cliaracterless, being yellow- 

 ish green above and greenish yellow below, but they 

 are briglit, vivacious little creatures. 



Occasionally in the mornings, numbers of tiny gniy- 

 ish warblers came slowly down the walls of the har- 

 ranca, feeding as they descended, taking short flights, 

 and l^eeping close to the ground among the dense 

 underbrush. These birds lingered at the camp for a 

 time, and then, with soft, low chirps, all passed on to 

 the water, where they alighted on the sand and drank. 

 Then, as if at some silent signal, all flew up and re- 

 turned quickly, still keeping close to the ground, zig- 



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