PARROTS. 



25 



MEXICAN PARROT. 



into a primeval forest of large trees, showing that beautiful, 

 rich green foliage so characteristic of the tropics. Here I 

 first heard the notes of the parrot; they flew over our heads 



in flocks of fifteen or twenty, utter- 

 ing the most unearthly screams. We 

 fired into several flocks and secured 

 half a dozen specimens. They were 

 the common green variety, but were 

 very handsome specimens. 



We ate our dinner on the edge 

 of a large cc7iote. I was disappointed 

 in not meeting with many birds here, 

 for the locality seemed very favorable 

 to their habits. Occasionally we heard, 

 however, the long-drawn, wailing note 

 of a jay somewhere in the adjacent woods; and, also, in the 

 foliage edging the cenote, the noisy chattering of some 

 small birds. Another bird had a most sweet and melan- 

 choly song; it consisted simply of a few notes, uttered in a 

 plaintive key, commenced high, and descended by harmonic 

 intervals. It was probably a species of warbler, but we 

 were unable to identify it. All these notes of birds were 

 very striking, and characteristic of the forest. 



Late in the afternoon we again took up our line of 

 march for Tunkas. As we continued our walk the brief 

 twilight commenced, and the sounds of multifarious life 

 came from the vegetation around. The whirring of cicadas; 

 the shrill stridulation of a vast number and variety of field 

 crickets and grasshoppers, each species sounding its pecul- 

 iar note; the plaintive hooting of tree-frogs — all blended 

 together in one continuous ringing sound, — the audible ex- 

 pression of the teeming profusion of nature. As night 

 came on, other species of animals joined the chorus. 



We arrived at Tunkas about 7:30 p. m. This village was 



