Of All Animals. 17

On Indian Turtle Doves

The Indian Turtle Dove, also known as the *Cocotzin*, is slightly larger than our common sparrow. Its entire upper body is dusky, though each individual feather is edged in black. The front sections of the wings are partly black, but for the most part, they shade into a yellowish-brown. The very tip of the tail is a variegated mix of white and dusky tones. The feathers covering the underbody are white but bordered with dark brown lines, while the undersides of the wings are a mix of yellowish-brown, ashen, and black. It has a small head with a small black beak, a short neck, reddish legs, and finally, small, dark claws.

Among the Mexicans, these birds are named for the color and whirring sound of their wings; among the Spaniards, they take their name from their cooing, flavor, and nutritional qualities—being called Turtle Doves—even though they are much smaller than our European varieties. They live primarily in the mountains and also near towns, being native to the Mexican countryside. It is reported that if their meat is mixed into a woman's food without her knowledge, it serves as a cure for jealousy.

There is another species quite similar to the aforementioned bird, but with a yellowish and black body and an ashen head. Some call it the *Tlapalcocotli* because of its reddish-yellow color.

On the Small Birds of India

There is a colorful bird called the *Xochitototl*, or "flower bird," which possesses multicolored plumage: it displays shades of pale yellow, black, and white, and is partly dusky; it is found everywhere. In size and shape, it nearly rivals the sparrow. It feeds on little worms and tiny seeds, hanging its nest from the branches of trees where it broods its eggs. It is a delight to both the ear and the palate, for it is musical and provides a wonderful delicacy for the gourmet.

This bird is perhaps the same as, or at least does not differ much in habits from, the "Chagres birds." These birds, led by natural instinct, build hanging nests with marvelous craftsmanship to keep them safe from the predations of monkeys. These monkeys are common around the Chagres River and visit every branch of the trees to plunder nests. Consequently, these birds suspend their nests from *besucos*. These *besucos* are flexible, leafless vines that cling to and climb up tall trees to their very tops, which the Indians use as ropes.

Furthermore, even smaller birds are found in the region of Peru; they are so tiny that they seem to be bees, butterflies, or flying cicadas. Indeed, the flight of these little birds is so swift and rapid that the motion of their wings can no more be seen than that of a hornet; anyone who sees such a bird flying by assumes it is a hornet. The bird's size corresponds to its nests, which it constructs from the tufts of cotton that grow abundantly there. Their feathers are endowed with the most elegant colors—namely gold, green, and other hues. The beak is so slender that it is finer than a needle used for mending clothes. These little birds have been given the name *Tominejo*, because the bird is so light that it weighs only one *tomín*—that is, twelve grains.

However, these little birds belong to different species, one of which the Indians call the *Hoitzitziltototl*. We might call it the "variegated bird" because it is covered in feathers of various colors; Indian craftsmen elegantly represent the figures of saints and images of any other thing by skillfully joining and weaving these feathers together. The nature of these little birds is such that they fly about only as long as the plants and flowers remain green, as they feed on their nectar. For as winter approaches, they retreat to pine trees or other trees and hang themselves from the branches by their beaks as if dead, until the burgeoning