94 
THE CONDOR 
I VOL. V 
The bright tropical sun was now high in the heavens, and most of the birds 
had sought shady retreats to pass the stifling heat of midday in silence. We heard 
only the harsh notes of chachalacas, and the soft cooing of wood pigeons on the 
hillside, as we started on our return. Space is lacking to mention in detail the 
many incidents of our walk back to Juan Vinas, or the wealth of tropical verdure 
and insect life on which our eyes feasted. 
Great, superb Morpho butterflies, with wings of iridescent blue, often came 
flapping by in the narrow trail, only to immediately disappear in the jungle. 
When followed, tantalizing flashes of blue would lead me far back into densest 
thickets, where my phantom would disappear completely, and unless I chanced to 
see the dark outline, and large owl-like eye spots of the under wings against the 
lichen-covered tree trunk to which the insect clung, it was rare indeed that I 
gathered one into the folds of my net. 
In the darkest shades, where the rays of sunlight seldom penetrated the leafy 
mantle overhead, hundreds of Heliconians — butterflies with transparent wings, 
varied with shades of brown, red, black, white and blue — danced about in the soft 
light presenting a most mystifying appearance when seen for the first time. Heje, 
also, two large Caligo butterflies were met with, even larger than the Morpho; the 
upper wings, instead of bright blue, a dark brown or plumbeous color — modified 
to harmonize with the perpetual shades of their environment. 
But I have wandered far from my subject and taken up too much valuable 
space. Suffice it to say that for two weeks each day was a repetition of the first 
days of unalloyed pleasure. 
Among our pleasant memories of Juan Vinas, and the one which will without 
doubt be the most lasting, was a midnight serenade accorded us by the two Gatos 
(cats), wandering Indian musicians of the Tuecirici tribe. Neither of the Indians 
had ever seen a musical note, yet they played the guitar with a remarkable depth 
of tone, and produced the most ravishing strains of music — strains which could 
have their origin only in the soul of one in complete harmony with Nature’s music. 
Nesting Habits of the Shufeldt Junco 
BY HERMAN T. BOHLMAN 
A SHORT description of the nesting habits of two Shufeldt juncos {Junco ore- 
ganus shufeldti) which came under my observation in the spring of 1901, may 
be of interest to fellow students of bird-lore. 
I have found the junco in the vicinity of Portland to be very partial in the 
selection of a nesting site, to the cuts or embankments which exist along the rail- 
road, electric lines and country roads which wind through the hills south of town. 
It has been my habit, wdien the first of May comes around each year, and later as 
well, to make short expeditions along these lines, and ‘switch the cuts’ as we 
termed it. On arriving at the field of operation a light, green sapling, twelve to 
fifteen feet long was cut, and as I nearly always have a companion in the field, we 
would walk up the track, diligently applying our switches to the embankments, 
until we were rewarded by the flushing of a junco from its nest, while the rush 
and roar of the passing train never disturbed the occupant. 
On May 14, 1901, two nests were discovered in this way not 200 yards apart, 
that were peculiar in the marked difference of their lining. In other respects the 
