Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-07-24
HUNTING PARROTS.
Some Of the Dangers That Surround Eho
 Who Capture Them.

Some Of the Dangers That Surround Those
 Who Capture Them.
 The parrot hunter who plunges into the jungles of the La Cruz river bot toms in Mexico and rsmains three months to make a catch sf as many hundred birds, takes his life in his hands. He is exposed to weylayinR peons, or laborers; he must ever be on the alert against night surprise by wild beasts; he may catch violent fever and perish unattended, or he may. be eaten up by ormeases or Mexican forest ants with bloodthiraty record.
 Three hundred parrots are worth, oa an average, fifty shillings apiece, which is s. 750 From that deduct the wages of half dozen Mexican vagabonds, who go along as tree climbers, the keep of five burros. the freight, and the residue goes into the pocket of the venturesome parrot hunter, or the dealer who ena- ploys him.
 The parrot builds no nest. The fs~ male selects deep hollow in the high est tree trunks and there lays two eggs. This occurs about May 1. The young
  elapse before they can open their eyes, and several weeks must be allowed for the young birds to gain sufficient strength to be removed from the care of their parents.
 The parrot is & willy and wise bird. It lays it's eggs safely out of reach of ordinary danger, and takes good care not to betray their whereabouts. When the birds are matched they ara fed twice day by their elders, early in the morning and again about the close of day, and this operation usually betrays to the hunter the whereabouts of his prey.
 The birds in feeding their young give vent to series of coptented clucks and chuekles, which are answered by the young ones, and which infallihly indicate to the parrot hunter where the nest is hidden.
 No civilized white man familiar with the danger will himself undertake to climb the tree and capture the young birds.
 That is the work reserved for the Mexican peons who accompany him There is no danger from the parent birds. but almost every tree is guarde d by colony of ormegoes, which pene- trate any kind of clothing and vigor- ouslv attack the flesh beneath 1t, being known to destroy large numbers of young parrots.
 The suffering of the peons from ths attack of the Mexican ants, in their ss- cent of trees in search of parrots, Is sometimes pitiful Their breasts &rs freouently covered with blood, and in their agony they fairly tear their cloth. ing from their bodies and cast them selves on the ground weeping and moaning. Oftentimes the effect is to nauseate them, so terrible is their suf- ferinR. If, as their master, one showed the slightest sympathy for their condi- tion. they would refuse to go up again. but under the pitiable condition of serf- dom in Mexico these men are no better than slaves, compelled to do what they are bidden regardless of life and limb.
 It is fortunate if when peon is near lv devoured by ants he is within reach of water, in which to bathe himself and assuage his agony. As the parrots always hatch their young where water is plentiful it rarely happens that the suffering peon cannot avail himself of natures palliative at first hand.
 This experience is something that no civilized white man would endure and which of itself deters many jungle hunt CTS from engaging in the exciting sport of parrot hunting g.-Chicago Times.