Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-02-28
HUNTING p6RRoTs.
Some of the Dangers That Surround rhos
WIN Cnnlnrn Than.

sumo OF the Danucra Ihut surround ThOHe
Who Capture Them.
The parrot hunter who plunges into
the jungles Of the La Cruz river bot
toms In Mexico and remains three
months to make catch of as many
hundred birds, takes his life in his
hands. He is exposed TO waylaying
poems, or laborers; he must ever be on
the alert against a night surprise by
wild beasts; he may catch violent
fever and perish unattended, OF he may
be eaten up by ormegoes or Mexican
forest ants with bloodthirsty record.
Three hundred parrots are worth, on
an average, fifty shillings apiece, which
is SO, $50. From that deduct the wages
of halfa 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 en-
ploys him.
The parrot builds no nest. The fe-
male selects deep hollow in the high
est tree trunks and there lays two eggs.
This occurs about May 1. The young
are Matched about June is. Ten days
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.
II lays its eggs safely out of reach OF
ordinary danger, and takes good care
not to betray their whereabouts. When
the birds are hatched they are fed
twice a 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 contented cluclSs
and chuckles, which are answered by
the young ones, and which infallibly
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 poems who accompany him.
There is no danger from the parent
birds, but almost every tree is guarded
by colony of ormegoes, which pene-
trate any kind of clothing and vigor-
ously attack the flesh beneath IL, being
known to destroy large numbers of
young parrots.
The suffering of the poems from the
attack of the Mexican ants in their as
cent of trees in search OF parrots, is
sometimes pitiful. Their breasts are
frequently 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 20
nauseate them, so terrible is their suf-
fering. II, 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 hidden regardless OF life and limb.
1t is fortunate II when peon is near
ly devoured by ants he is within reach
of water in which to battle 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 ofitself deters many jungle hunt
ers from engaging in the exciting sport
Of parrot hunting. ng.-Chicago Times.