A GOLD MINE IN THE WILDERNESS. 207 



The young birds were almost without down, the adult 

 plumage being outlined very shortly after hatching. In a 

 bird of only four or iive days the dull orange or yellowish 

 color of the rump feathers shows plainly. When these 

 break through their sheaths, the color is a dull rose; becom- 

 ing redder as the feathers increase in length, but not attaining 

 the brilliant scarlet of the parent birds until the succeeding 

 moult. When full grown, these birds measure about ten 

 inches in length and are glossy black in color, save only for 

 the brilliant scarlet rump. The bill is a conspicuous green- 

 ish white, while the feet are black. The eyes of the nestling 

 are dark hazel in color, while in the old birds the iris is of 

 a most beautiful greenish blue. 



The voice of the very young birds is a shrill incessant peep ! 

 peep ! when they are gaping for food, l^ut the half-fledged 

 youngsters utter solitary harsher notes under the same 

 conditions. The five fully fledged birds had learned what 

 fear was and instead of feeding, crouched down at the bot- 

 tom of the artificial nest which Mr. Crandall made for them 

 But hunger overcame fear and before night all had taken 

 food. We kept an Indian busy gathering a berry or fruit 

 which looked, tasted and smelled much like a miniature 

 tomato. The leaves of this low plant are large, deeply 

 incised and studded above and below with numerous thorns. 

 The plant is from three to six feet in height, is abundant in 

 the clearing, and forms the favorite vegetable food of the 

 Cassiques. In addition to this, the young birds had a few 

 mealworms and ants' eggs from our small store, and all the 

 soft insects which our Indian could capture. After two full 

 days of grasshopper catching, the pride of the noble red-man 

 began to feel itself injured, and additional inducements in 

 the way of tobacco were needed to sustain his interest in his 

 orthopterous pursuits. 



On the following day the oldest of the young Cassiques 



