In a Mission Patio, 



to the birds. It was therefore with 

 peculiar interest that I watched my little 

 feathered friends in the spot of sacred 

 memories, and often I found myself won- 

 dering if Father Ammurio or Father 

 Mugartegui ever found time with all 

 their prayers and masses, their busy 

 concerns of practical life and innumer- 

 able duties in converting and directing 

 the Indians, to look outside at the 

 beautiful world of nature. They 

 planted vineyards and olive orchards, 

 why may they not have noticed some 

 of the birds in their strange surround- 

 ings and wondered about them? How- 

 ever this may be, the birds still frequent 

 the mission patio as in the olden days, 

 and if you will transport yourself in 

 imagination with me to the ruin, I will 

 endeavor to show you some of the 

 beautiful things which the pious fathers 

 might have seen in their dooryard had 

 they been so disposed. 



During that month of January I 

 found thirty-two birds in the vicinity of 

 219 



