THE MARVELLOUS HUMMING-BIKD. 223 



great mountains of the Cordilleras and the Pacific 

 Ocean. 



Eain seldom falls here ; and the ,green spots are 

 caused by some rill or stream that descends from 

 the mountains. The inhabitants prize every drop 

 of the precious stream, and use it to water their 

 fields and gardens. At the line where the artificial 

 system of irrigation ends, the desert again begins. 



On these spots, thus won from the sand, all the 

 rich verdure of the Tropics is seen. Here is 

 cotton, and sugar, and maize, and the products of 

 a burning clime. And here are beautiful birds of 

 every shade and hue. Here is the Parrot, and 

 the Pigeon, and the Crowned Fly-catcher, dressed 

 in a costume of fiery red. 



In this strange land, mist supplies the place of 

 rain. At a certain season of the year there comes 

 a veil over the sky, and a kind of ceaseless drizzle 

 takes place. 



The drizzle, unpleasant as it must be, falls on 

 the barren places and dry arid plains with all the 

 blessing of dew or of rain. They become green 

 and fertile, and the whole land rejoices. 



