AMONG MY TENANTS. 131 



the cool trade wind coming through a gap in the 

 hills most refreshing. 



Suddenly there was a flash — we all waked up 

 — was that the house owner ? What a remark- 

 able bird ! and what a display of color ! — it had 

 a red head, fiery in the sun ; a black back, and a 

 vivid yellow breast. On looking it up in Ridg- 

 way the stranger proved to be the Louisiana 

 tanager, a high mountain bird. That was a red 

 letter day for me. No one can know, without 

 experiencing it, the delight of such discoveries. 

 The pleasure is as genuine as if the world were 

 made anew for you. In the excitement the ori- 

 ole's nest was neglected ; but . ordinarily the rare 

 unknown birds did not detract from the enjoy- 

 ment of the old, more familiar ones. 



So when the brilliant stranger flew away and 

 was seen no more I turned with pleasure to the 

 pair of sparrow hawks who had come to live on 

 the ranch. A branch had fallen from one of 

 the trees, and the hawks found its hollow just 

 suited to their needs. It was a good, spacious 

 house, but a pair of their cousins who had built 

 in a tree over the whitewashed hovel had made 

 a sad mistake in choosing their dwelling — for 

 the front door was so small they could hardly 

 enter ! I used to stop to watch them, and was 

 very much amused at their efforts to make the 

 best of it. 



Canello could stand up to his knees in alfilaree 



