28 



A NATURALIST IN MEXICO. 



finches, tanagers, and several other small birds, were quite 

 abundant. Insects were more numerous in this neighbor- 

 hood than in any previously visited 

 These were, however, mostly ants and 

 beetles. But few species of butter- 

 flies were seen, and these of a small, 

 yellow variety. 



As soon as night approached, 

 swarms of goat-suckers made their 

 appearance, wheeling about in a noise- 

 less manner, in chase of night-flying 

 insects. They sometimes descended 

 and settled on the pathway, squatting 

 MEXICAN GOSHAWK. dowu ou their heels, and were then 

 hard to distinguish from the surrounding soil. In the day- 

 time they lay concealed in the woods, and venture forth 

 only at night. They make no nest, but lay their eggs on 

 the ground. 



March 4th we took our last ramble through tnis delight- 

 ful region. The whole of the country for a score of miles 

 was covered with an almost pathless forest, and there were 

 but few roads which penetrated it. One road, in particular, 

 I was very fond of following. The trees were large and 

 many of them in bloom. This place was the resort of tan- 

 agers, jays, groove-billed ani, and various species of hawks. 

 Birds generally, however, were not numerous. The num- 

 ber of butterflies, sporting about in this patch of woods on 

 a sunny day, was so great as to give quite a character to the 

 physiognomy of the place. It was impossible to walk far 

 without disturbing flocks of them from the damp earth and 

 pools of water left by the recent rains, where they congre- 

 gated to imbibe the moisture. The most abundant were 

 the sulphur-yellow and orange-colored varieties, which I 

 started in swarms as I made my way along the road. 



