TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCfENCES. 235 



seen also on the illustration. Just 

 think of the time and labor these 

 industrious martins spend in build- 

 ing these nests — with small parcels 

 of soft clay — each nest close to 

 the other, and in shape and size 

 of a cocoanut shell, and how 

 securely the nests were adjusted 

 on the high dome and walls of 

 the cliffs above the party of 

 visitors seen on the photo. 



Some of these wild regions along 

 the Medina river are also famed 

 for the large beehives met there 

 and of the guano caves, tons of 

 guano I was told, being stored away 

 in some of the caves and cavern 

 — perhaps not explored a- , •:- . 

 [n these southern n^sion- o ihi 



-VTedina river nen' Cllanis, Texas, 

 some years ago, my old friend, 

 the late Captain Rheichartz, of 

 D'Hanis had sent the writer some 

 samples of bat guano gathered by 

 himself at the large guano caves 

 near Frio City for microscopic 

 examination; and it was amazing 

 to note the immense quantity 

 of anatomical remnants of insects, 

 mostly mosquitoes and flies. 



I had a number of fine micro- 

 photographs of the prepared side 

 samples, which I sent to Captain 

 Rheichartz; but whether the rich 

 guano caves were further explored 

 and utilized commercially, I never 

 found out. 



Nice Cattle Scenery In Johnson-Grass Pasture, at the Cassin's Irrigated Fields 

 South of San Antonio. (Original Photo) 



