THE CACTUS FORESTS OF CENTRAL BOLIVIA 327 



turbed flew to the nearest bush or low tree which they cov- 

 ered much in the same manner that passenger pigeons are 

 said to have done in this country not so many years ago. 

 One could easily have secured thirty or forty with a single 

 charge of number ten shot. 



Near Mizque lies a narrow valley enclosed on both sides 

 by ridges of low mountains. We repaired to this space and 

 camped in a decaying structure that formerly served as a 

 sawmill; for, strange to relate, this little valley was orig- 

 inally wooded. Most of the trees had been cut down and 

 converted into lumber, and while a large part of the land 

 was under cultivation, there were also extensive patches of 

 brush and second growth. Tujma, as the place is called, 

 deserved more time than we could give it. In addition to 

 the birds found at Mizque were many species unknown to 

 us; among them a blue-fronted and a red-fronted parra- 

 keet, and a gorgeous Amazon parrot. There was also a 

 kind of macaw (Ara) that we saw in that region only, and 

 even there it was rare; the forehead and shoulders are of a 

 blazing crimson, and the underparts of a pale-yellow color, 

 the rest of the bird being green. Most members of the 

 parrot family were feeding on cactus fruits that were ripen- 

 ing in great abundance. 



A hummer of rather modest attire, being of a grayish 

 color, but larger than our own ruby-throat, had a dainty 

 little nest, containing two white, bean-like eggs, suspended 

 from the ceiling of our hut. At first the bird was greatly 

 distressed at our appearance and darted out each time we 

 came in; but finally it became more confident and returned, 

 frequently hovering overhead to inspect us several minutes 

 at a time, and then slipping quietly into the nest where it 

 sat unconcernedly, its long tongue playing in and out of the 

 bill, like a snake's. 



Our next station was the large Indian town of Totora. 

 We covered the entire distance of more than thirty miles 

 in a day. The country is rough and the trail runs up and 

 down over numerous mountain-tops, varying between 



