Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-09-13


land, the Plan Alto, where the nights are
cool and the climate healthy. But | wish
emphatically to record my view with these
lnarshy plains, although hot. are also
healthy; and moreover, the mosquitoes, in
most places, are not in sufficient numbers to
be serious pest, although of course there
must be nets for protection against them at
night
The country is eXcellently suited for set
Element and offers remarkable field for
cattle-growing. Moreover, it is a paradise
for water birds and for many other kinds Of
birds, and for many mammals. 1t is literally
an ideal place in which field naturalist
could spend six months or a year 1t is
readily accessible, it offers an almost virgin
field for work, and the life would be healthy
as well as delightfully."- attractive
The man should have a steam launch. In
it he could with comfort cover all parts of
the country from south of Coinbra to north
of Cayuba and Caceres There would have
to be good deal of collecting. although
nothing in the nature of butchery should be
tolerated, for the region has only been SUI
perficially worked especially as regards
mammals. But if the man were only col
lector he would leave undone the part Of the
work best worth doing
A Bonanza for the Naturalist.
The region offers extraordinary opportu-
mites for the study of the life histories of
birds which because of their size. their
beauty, or their habits. are OF exceptional in
terest. All kinds of problems would be
worked out For example. on the morning
OF January 3, as we were ascending the Par
aguay, we again and again saw in the trees
on the bank big nests OF sticks, into and out
OF which paraquets were flying by the doz-
en- Some of them had straws or twigs in
their bills. In some of the big globular
nests we could make out several holes Of
exit or entrance. Apparently these para
quets were building or remodeling commu-
nal nests; but whether they had themselves
built these nests. or had taken old nests and
added onto or modified them we could not
tell.
There was SO much of interest all along
the banks that we were continually longing
to stop and spend days where we we're
Mixed flocks OF scores of cormorants and
darters covered certain trees, both at sunset
and after sunrise. Although there was no
deep forest, merely belts or fringes of trees
along the river, or i'll patches back of it, we
frequently saw monkeys in the riverine tree
fringe-active common monkeys and black
howlers of more leisurely gait. We saw
caymans and capybaras sitting socially near
one another on the sandbanks
AT night we heard the calling of large
flights OF tree ducks. These were now the
most common of all the ducks, although
there were many muscovy ducks also. The
evenings were pleasant and not hot, as we
sat on the forward deck there was wax
ing moon.
The screamers were among the most no.
ticeable birds. They were noisy; they
perched on the very tops of the trees, not
down among the branches; and they were
not shy. They should be carefully protect
ed by law, for they readily become tame
and then come Familiarity round the houses
From the steamer we now and then saw
beautiful orchids in the trees on the river
bank.
One afternoon we stopped at the home