ACROSS THE ANTIOQUIAN GOLD-FIELDS 111 



scendants of a colony of Jews that settled there many 

 years ago. For this belief there seems to be very little 

 foundation. The fact that the climate is bracing and that 

 it requires a greater amount of work to gain a living in the 

 semiarid country probably accounts for the increased de- 

 gree of energy displayed by the inhabitants. 



Our first expedition was to a point in the mountains 

 southeast of the city, known as Santa Elena, and only a 

 few hours' ride on mules from Medellin. After crossing the 

 ridge we found ourselves on a high, wild plateau, which had 

 at one time been covered with forest; but the trees had 

 been felled on the greater part of the area, and only small, 

 scattered patches of woods were left untouched. There are 

 numerous little huts in this upland country, and at one of 

 these we decided to remain for as long a time as the coun- 

 try proved a profitable collecting ground. 



On account of the great change in the flora, occasioned 

 by deforestation, a corresponding change had taken place 

 in the bird life. But little remained of the subtropical 

 fauna we had expected to find; however, there were black 

 thrushes, several species of tanagers, toucans, trogons, and 

 motmots, besides many commoner species. Weasels were 

 abundant and occasionally blundered into our traps; these 

 animals are very easy to call up, and if one sits quietly and 

 imitates the screams and squeaks of a wounded bird, it is 

 often possible to attract a weasel to within a few feet, and 

 at times it will run across one's lap in search for the sup- 

 posed victim. There were also squirrels of several species, 

 and tiger-cats. 



Many flowering shrubs dotted the roadside, imparting a 

 blaze of color to the muddy highway; some of them were 

 covered with brilliant scarlet blossoms, and others with 

 snowy trumpetflowers of great size. In addition to this 

 wealth of native flowers, the people cultivated plots of 

 gladioli and roses, both of which attained great size and 

 beauty in spite of the cold, wet climate. 



We continued on across the highland from Santa Elena 



