:::::::::^x TWO BIRD -LOVERS IN MEXICO I?::::-::: 



the entrance and sang their silvery song over and over 

 agfain. Later in the dav three or four large I"uanas 

 crawled lazily out upon the rocks and basked for hours 

 in the sunshine, or scrambled along the narrow ledges 

 of stone, foraging among the low vegetation. Long 

 before the sun's rays became tempered by the breezes 

 of the late afternoon the great lizards had disappeared 

 and the next actors upon the little stage were two 

 small Horned Owls. These were the most difficult of 

 all to observe, as they slipped out at dusk, their dark 

 mottled plumage melting almost instantly into the 

 dimness as they launched out and flew with silent 

 wing-beats upstream. We never discovered when they 

 returned. 



The most unexpected sight occurred a little after the 

 flight of the owls. In the semi-darkness of the cave, 

 a confused mingling of shadowy forms was seen, walk- 

 ing about or reaching up with tiny hands — hke a 

 crowd of little gnomes, up for a rest from their labours 

 in the great underground smelting-room of the vrAcan. 

 Soon they crowded near one side and in single file crept 

 along the ledge trail which led to the almost im})ene- 

 trable jungle opposite our camp — ten Mexican Rac- 

 coons which made this cave their home. 



Once in broad daylight we made our way to the op- 

 posite summit, and clambered down, lowering ourselves 

 with saplings and hanging vines until we were at the 

 entrance itself. The only explanation of the apparent 



«4 10^2 -^ 



