:::::::::m TWO BIRD- LOVERS IN MEXICO M=^ 



birds of the surrounding gardens and fields were more 

 than "just birds;" that they had colours and songs, 

 traits and habits, interesting because of the hidden 

 meanings of each — for protection or recognition, 

 for safety of themselves, their mates, or their young. 

 And behold, the pure gospel of God's out-of-doors had 

 won more converts ! Then they began to flood us with 

 questions. To satisfy them all would have necessitated 

 giving up many walks and rides. So we turned over 

 to them Mrs. Bailey's " Handbook of Western Birds," 

 which we had found so useful, and many and strange 

 were the discoveries that they made. We ourselves 

 knew only too little about Mexican birds ; but when 

 marvellous notes of pink-breasted, blue-eyed hawks 

 and long-legged hummingbirds were given us in all 

 good faith for verification, we gave up. It is indeed 

 remarkable how differently a bird wiU appear to a num- 

 ber of untrained observers. Whether owing to a wide- 

 spread partial colour-blindness, or to the elusive glints 

 of sunlight on a bird's plumage, the range of colours 

 and size with which a single unfortunate bird may be 

 endowed, is astonishing ! 



Although in our walks about Guadalajara we saw 

 thousands upon thousands of cactus-trees, their strange 

 structure and appearance never ceased to impress us. 

 There was nothing to which they could be compared ; 

 the great trunks and massive branches were very dif- 

 ferent from those in our Northern conservatories. Only 



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