The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20

| eHOrh 90 tame are they mat a man WIN long
stout stick can enter the brush and knock them
from their perchcs In almost any number he deairea
They can be seen flying so thick through the ma
hogany forests Of the Cauto River that single
| shot would probably bring down more than enough
for a days eating. These birds are clearly In
| habit and their flesh has flne taste. They are
| easily tanned become good takers. and after once
| being domesticated are never persuaded by their
| fellow kind 10 escape Indeed soldier carried
ino bird entirely across the island his sad.
| die bow from the north 10 the south coast and
although II had Its freedom in camp and at night
10 ny away and chatter with It's fellows II always
returned in time TO resume the journey next morn
ing II had not been In captivity moro than q
month.
There are in Cuba neither the blackbird as we
know II nor the full grown crow such az We have
In the States but between tho two larger than tho
former and smaller than the latter, there is crea-
ture which the natives call the rain crow II is
found In every part Of the island, on the mountain
tops and in the depths of the swamps, but II is
useful neither for food nor song and Is generally
dislked. II has a curious, stumpy, rounded bill
which has caused some TO nickname II ajewbird. "
The origin OF its title rain crow is the fact that the
bird does not seem to find discomfort In exposing
Itself 10 tho heaviest showers and after rain the
bushes, trees and plants for miles In every direc-
ton present the curious spectacle Of thousands Of
black wings spread out To dry in the sun. No one
dsturbs them and, therefore, they do not fear tho
approach OF man.
In no other land are the buzzards so numerous
and so useful they are In Cuba Theg hover
over mountains and valleys, circling about and
ever watchful for o morsel, and II must be said
that they have no difficulty In finding all they
want They arc the great scevenger force OF
citv nd ia hat ind
trious in their calling; for otherwise much of the
filth in the towns and in the country surrounding
would be left where it lay One town near the
north coast in Santiago Province is called ia
Cudad dc las Auras," which means city of buzz
zards" and IL is correctly named too for there the
buzzards more numerous than the inhabitants
and share with the latter their domiciles, taking
the places Of dogs cats. chickens and other domes-
tic creatures There Is no law against their do
struction, and yet no one thinks OF disturbing or
injuring them. They are as much at home about
human dwelling as the owners themselves
Among the migratory birds that visit Cuba in
winter the green winged teal the pintai
whistler, wood duck and coot Great sport can
be had with these birds II the sportsman is properly
equipped Pelicans. water-turkeys. fish ducks
herons Of all varieties and colors, cranes eagles
famingoes hawks and owls of several kinds,
including the white OWL woodpeckers, especi-
ally the ivory BILL the ibis and along the shores
gulls and sea birds innumerable are seen One
beautiful bird OF the interior deserves especial
mention. Owing to the distance at which IL was
seen, the writer was unable to identify IL 1t was
tall, handsome creature, and was walking lightly
on the lily pads. It's color above was a beautiful
spectrum blue fading into creamy white on the
sides and bursting into brilliant scarlet on the
breast and lower body. Its legs green, bill
orange, and the head was crowned with coronet
similar to that worn by the California quail II
was not web footed. but had three broad toes
to the front and one to the side, which
indicated the wader rather than the swimmer
Fifteen species of the humming bird are pecu-
liar to the island the largest Of which is the long
tailed hummer, measuring ten inches from tip OF
beak to end Of tail and the smallest the veran
which weighs but twenty grains This birding
has a head no larger than pea, and legs hardly
longer than those of good sized mosquito It's
entire measurement from tip TO tip is an inch and
a quarter. Strange as it may seem these tiny
creatures are easily tanned, and it is not unusual
TO see pets of this kind enjoying the freedom
in household as parrot that has been domesi.
Gated. At one hovel, presided over by mistress