74 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



The Madrugadores (^), which we fliall call the 

 Awakeners^ or Twilight birds, and which are called by 

 the Mexicons Tzaciia^ although they are not fo remarka- 

 ble for beauty or fong, deferve particular notice for fome 

 other qualities. Thefe birds are the laft among the day- 

 birds to go to rood at night, and the firft to leave it in 

 the morning, and to announce the return of the fun. 

 They never ceafe to fmg and frolic, till an hour after fun- 

 fet ; begin again long before the dawn, and never feem 

 fo happy as during the morning and evening twilight. 

 About an hour before the break of day, one of them be- 

 gins from the bough of a tree where he has pafTed the 

 night along with many others of his fpecies, to call them, 

 with a flirill, clear note, which he continually repeats 

 with a tone of gladnefs, till fome of his companions hear 

 and anfwer him. When they are all awake, they make 

 a very cheerful noife, which may be heard at a great 

 diflance. In the journies I have made through the king- 

 dom of Michuacan, where they abound, ihey were of 

 fome ufe to m.e, as they alv/ays roufed me in time, to 

 allow me to fet out by the break of day. Thefe birds 

 are about as large as fparrows. 



The Tzacua, a bird which refembles the above men- 

 tioned Calandra in fize, in colour, and in the form of its 

 nefl is flill more furprifmg. Thefe birds live in fociety ; 

 and every tree is to them a village, compofed of a great 

 number of neils, all hanging from the boughs. One of 

 them which does the office of the head or the guard of the 

 village, refides in the middle of the tree 5 from which it 



flies 



(g) 3/[adnigadorj in Spanidi means early rifer : but as there is no word in 

 Italian that anfwers to it, the Author has employed that of Dejlatore or Amoak- 

 ener. He feems to think) however, 'that the nanie of Uccello crepufcolare or Tw/- 

 light bird, would be n:ore applicable. 



