File:Two bird-lovers in Mexico (1905) (14771214463).jpg

Identifier: twobirdloversinm00beeb (find matches)
Title: Two bird-lovers in Mexico
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Beebe, William, 1877-1962
Subjects: Natural history -- Mexico Birds -- Mexico
Publisher: London, A. Constable & company, ltd. Boston and New York, Houghton, Mifflin and company
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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totro2)ical scenes it flows, until, after its waters have beenshadowed for many miles by the great primeval forestsof Tepic, it reaches and merges with the Pacific. Alonu the brow of the barrd/ica where we had comeout upon it, the mesquite and cactus still held theirown, but were overshadowed by a mucli larger growth,— the leafless tree morning-glories, clothed in a blazeof white convolvulus l)lossoms. Swarms of Januaryinsects filled tlie air with their humming and attractedmany birds. It was liere that we first met with twospecies of liummingbirds with whicli we were later tobecome very familiar. One, the Broad-billed Hum-mingbird, was wlioliv iridescent green, save for thethroat and tail, whicli were blue. The Blue-crownedHummingbird was, like the Broad-billed, a ratherlarge species, and verv conspicuous as it swung backand forth among the blossoms. Its cap of intense bluecontrasted strongly with its pure white under partsand brownish screen back. Although the effort was «4 96 ^
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::::;:»v THE MESQUITE WILDERNESS m::::::::: like trying to number so many flashes of sunlight, wecounted, around one tree, at least thirty of this species.Strange to say, there was little or no fighting amongthemselves, but when a big blundering bee or waspapproached, a half-dozen hummers would rush head-long at the intruder and hustle it off. Among these flowering trees, a small stream woundits way for a long distance before reaching the brinkof the great gorge, and its edges blossomed in beau-tiful contrast to the arid bare earth a little beyondon each side ; solid banks of ladies paint-brush, softand white-topped ; lantanas straggling along the rimof the dust; and, closer to the water, dahlias and petu-nias — all wild — were budding in profusion, promis-ing soon a great glory of flowers. Among this low growth a small gathering of MexicanGoldfinches searched for last years seeds, which nowinter snows had buried nor ice encased. The sides andtop of the heads and the backs of the

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