his rebenque, a whip made of a flat leather | smouldering ashes, and was soon lost to thong, into Juana's hands, began to fum- sight in the drift of white smoke. ble about the saddle with one hand on the bridle. No, it is the other side-the left side!" cried Juana impatiently. An hour later Anselmo and Ramon, whose horses were exhausted long before they arrived at the fire, gave up the pursuit, and rode homewards as well as their tired steeds could carry them. They rode in silence, save for an occasional ejaculation of a forcible nature intended to express annoyance. Ramon went round to the other side, keeping his right hand still on the reins. Juana's eyes flashed, and then with all her force she brought down the rebenque across his face. Ramon staggered back, "Ah, fit daughter of the mother that both hands to his eyes, with a furious ex- bore thee!" broke out Anselmo at last. ecration. The roan plunging wildly for-"If I could but catch thee!" ward started off at full gallop, the reins "She will founder that horse!" cried loose on his neck. Ramon rushed at the Ramon, whose face was not improved by other horse, but Carmen had been too the swollen red mark that stretched across quick for him. It had flashed across her it. "Where can she be going to? You mind that there was no other horse tied must know, Anselmo; she must be going there except her father's, and that was un-somewhere. Tell me how I am to resaddled. With the agility of a true child cover my horse. May the devil take the of the camp she had thrown herself on to girl, but I will not lose a horse like that!" Ramon's horse before he could stop her, and was galloping wildly after her cousin, with no hope of overtaking her, but exulting in the knowledge that she had considerably delayed the pursuit. "What a fool's trick it was of yours to put her on it!" retorted the other, glad to have some one to quarrel with. "How should I know where the girl is gone? If you want your horse go and look for it. Qué m'importa? The girl is gone; will not trouble to fetch her back." I So the two wrangled until they parted company; and by the time that Anselmo had reached his house he had persuaded himself that he was a much-wronged man, whose beloved niece had been stolen through the fault of a blundering fool. Carmen, who had slipped off to bed in fear and trembling, was pleasantly surprised to find that her father's return did not mean a whipping for herself. Juana dared not turn her horse to right or left, but galloped straight on, every now and then looking back to see if she were pursued. She saw Carmen already far behind her, but behind Carmen she could see two rapidly increasing black spots, and knew that the chase was well started. If only she could get out of their sight and turn her horse to the left, in the direction of Pedro Romano's home, she might yet escape them. Juana gazed with aching eyes, then gave a cry of joy as she saw straight in front of her the thick roll- The night fell fast and Juana still rode ing smoke of a pampas fire. It looked so on, her horse's hoofs breaking the black, close and yet it was so far; at least five burnt ground into fiery sparks. Brave miles lay between her and the friendly little roan! not in vain had he been called smoke, and there could be hardly two el guapo- the long-enduring. But now between her and the enemy. Ah, good his bolt was shot. Poor Juana, tired and little horse! Good Rosillo !" she called frightened, tried to urge him on to fresh to him again and again, and the roan efforts, but without success. Now that gallantly sped on, settling down to the the excitement had died out, and she reallong stride that had served him well ized that she had lost her way, Juana was in many a race. Her horse's speed and thoroughly scared at her situation. She her light weight soon began to tell; and would have cried, but she knew it would by the time that she reached the belt of be no use; besides, she had cried so much flame that encircled for many a mile the the night before that there were no tears burnt camp, both her pursuers were far left. "Maria sanctissima! Maria purisout of sight. Nevertheless, she did not sima!" she murmured. "See to what hesitate on that account, but turning her straits I am come! Ah, valgame Dios!"" horse's head to a place where the grass she cried, as her tired horse stumbled was shorter and the flame less fierce, she heavily and almost threw her. On they forced him through the line of fire and plodded slowly until they were clear of thick blinding smoke, and found herself the burnt camp, and the rising moon on the burnt and blackened ground be-lighted them on their way; but where yond. Then, turning round to the left, they were going Juana did not know. she galloped swiftly on over the still At one end of the land that belonged to the Englishman, there was an esquina, a polite name for a wine-store, and here at midnight there were congregated many of the Englishman's peones. Inside the shop Doña Tomasa, the fat, good-natured wife of the proprietor, was busy distributing drinks, or exchanging rough-and-ready jests with her customers, until a gifted member of the company tuned his guitar and began to improvise a song, which he had sung them a dozen times before. However, originality in improvisation is the least important thing; and the others gathered round with the same simple delight and wonder that they had always shown on similar occasions. All except Pedro Romano, who sat outside in the clear moonlight listening to the music within, and wondering how he should ever accomplish the great aim of his life. The song went on and on, interspersed with bursts of laughter from the audience. Suddenly Pedro started to his feet; a woman on a horse was standing outside the building; and he went towards her to see what she wanted. Some ten minutes later the song had just ended, when Pedro entered the room leading Juana by the hand. "Doña Tomasa, here is my sister. Will you take care of her to-night? Tomorrow we go home to my father's house." So Juana found a refuge from her troubles. And the Rosillo, turned loose in the open camp, wandered off on his own account, and is probably now living a life of ease and freedom, if no one has caught him in the interval. From The Nineteenth Century. FLAMINGOES AT HOME. The flamingoes are very shy, and are only found in the remote and rarely visited lagoons. Wher seen in flocks of some hundreds standing in long lines, they look at a distance like battalions of British troops on parade, their brilliant pink plumage showing up well against the darkgreen mangroves with which the lagoons are generally fringed. In May they begin to repair the old nests, or to raise new ones, which is done by scooping up the surrounding mud with the beak, while they stand on the nest and pat it into shape and proper consistency with the foot. It is no mere treading on the mud, but one foot is used at a time, and the sounding slaps, with which the cones of mud are got into shape, can be heard at a considerable distance. The nests are always grouped close together, sometimes as many as four hundred being found in a rookery. They stand from three to four feet apart, the area occupied by each nest being about twelve square feet. The birds do not always return to the same breeding-place, and if disturbed much while breeding, or if the very young birds are taken from the nest, they will probably breed next year in some other rookery, many of which are to be found in the least accessible parts of the great stretches of swamps. Having settled upon their breedingground for the year, the old nests are at once taken possession of by the oldest or strongest birds, which proceed to repair them by adding to the top the inch or more washed off by the rains since last tenanted. If the nest is very low, four or five inches may be added, and sticks, shells, or anything else that may be lying about the base, are scooped up and worked in without any apparent arrangement, just as if the soft mud with the débris contained in it were lifted with a trowel and I Do not know if much has been writ-placed on the top. There is no preparaten on the subject of the breeding of flamingoes, or if their habits have been closely examined; but I have a distinct recollection of a print in a book on natural history read by me many years ago, where the flamingo is depicted straddling on a very high nest with the legs hanging down on either side. I have always thought this to be rather a peculiar way of sitting during incubation, and, finding that flamingoes bred in large numbers in the islands of Inagua, Andros, and Abaco, I determined to satisfy myself by personal observation as to the manner in which these birds sit on their eggs while hatching. tion made for the new repair of the old nest, and if an addled egg remains, it is simply covered over with the fresh stuff and built into the cone. I measured some scores of nests. The highest was fifteen inches, the lowest eight inches, the latter being the height of the nests in the first year. The nests were about eighteen inches in diameter at the bottom, and nine to eleven inches on the top. The concavity was very slight. In a few cases about half-a-dozen feathers were found on the nest, but in general the eggs were laid on the bare mud. I said eggs, but out of some hundreds of nests examined by me in June, there were not half a dozen which contained two eggs, one being the usual number. As some of those taken at the time were in an advanced stage of incubation it is probable that at each breeding season but one egg is usually laid. The nesting season is from the middle to the end of May. The young birds are hatched about the end of June or beginning of July, and about the first week in August are so fully fledged that, while some can fly, almost all are capable of taking care of themselves. It is at this time that the young birds are taken, sometimes by scores. As the nests are in places so difficult of access, and the birds could not be carried without danger of breaking their slender legs, the problem of getting them to the shore for shipment would be difficult to solve were it not that a flock of young birds are easily driven. When they are first approached, those which can fly get up and circle overhead, but in a very short time they pitch with the other young birds now being driven away, and they do not fly again. The entire lot are then driven like a flock of sheep over the flat banks of marl or through the shallow lagoons. In the moulting season the old birds are sometimes thus driven, as they cannot then fly. I left Nassau on the 3rd of June, and, having called at several places on the way, dropped anchor at Bustick Point on the evening of Monday, the 6th of June. Bustick Point is on the island of Abaco, the eastern side of which is fringed with a line of bays forming an almost uninterrupted belt of land, with a few deep passages through which ships can enter. On two of these bays are built the settlements of Hope Town and Green Turtle Bay, the principal towns of Abaco. Between the bays and the shore of the island the beautifully clear water of the Bahamas is always smooth, and the sailing is delightful, the changing views of island and bays affording constant interest. We had arranged with two guides to meet us, and at 5 A.M. on the 7th of June we landed. I was accompanied by Lord George Fitzgerald, and Lieutenant Robertson, 2nd West India Regiment. The air was still, but the morning was fresh and bright, and the walk across the island was most enjoyable. The ground was picturesquely rugged, and the path led up and down and around low hills planted with pineapples, of which great heaps of the full, but green, fruit were piled upon the shore ready for shipment, while the golden hue of the fruit with which the trees were still crowned showed that much of the crop was already too ripe to bear the voyage to a foreign market. All the care of cultivation could not keep down the creepers of all kinds that covered every available stump; white and purple passion-flowers and wild grapevine fringed the path. Convolvuli of various hues opened their bell-shaped flowers to the morning sun, while the broad green leaves of the bananas planted here and there were jewelled along the edges with sparkling dewdrops. Beyond the pine-field we entered a thick wood, completely carpeted with maidenhair and other ferns, while almost every tree was laden with orchids. Over the crest of the hill the scene changed. The wood ended and the path plunged downwards through bracken so thick and so high that the morning-glory climbed the stem to thrust its bright blue bells into the fresh morning air. One expected to see the deer start from its lair, and nothing was wanting, save the melody from the woods, to fancy one's self in an English park on a summer morning. Beneath us the broad, lake-like lagoon stretched away to the dim distance. Not a ripple ruffled its surface, and on its calm breast as in a mirror were reflected two rocky islets whose precipitous sides were crowned with a tropical wealth of vegetation, while over them wheeled in graceful circles a pair of "johnny crows "found in the Bahamas on the islands of Abaco, Andros, and Babama only. Away on the horizon to the west were low clumps of mangroves showing where the flat banks of marl begin, among the lagoons of which the flamingoes build. Fastened among the great mangrove. trees that here fringe the lake we found a boat belonging to William Albury, one of our guides, and pulled away for the western shore. The lake, or lagoon, is here about five feet deep, the bottom soft, and covered with slimy weed. Albury, who is a keen old sportsman, informed us that the wild pigeon breeds about the lake, and in the season he shoots large numbers of them. If, however, they fall into the water there is an end of them, as the lagoon is infested by numbers of small sharks, which not only snap up the birds, but are particularly bold, so much so that to swim for the pigeons would probably result in a serious bite, if not worse. I confess that I received this information with a certain amount of reserve, my experience being that sharks are very cowardly in these waters, so that even large ones rarely attack men. However, about two hours later, when we had pulled to the other side, | able point of observation to think of it, where the waters were so shallow that all but I cannot say that I even suffered any hands were obliged to wade, and drag the inconvenience. boat over the sharp rocks, covered with small univalve shellfish, on which the flamingoes feed, I had ocular demonstration of their boldness. We had observed the ripple caused by a shoal of bone-fish, when suddenly a small shark by which they were being chased turned and came straight for the bare black legs of Edgar Archer, our second guide. He flung an oar at it which missed it, but caused it to sheer off. The fish was only about two and a half feet long, but the determination to try the flavor of Archer's legs was un mistakable. Hauling the boat high and dry, we started for the nests. By this time the sun was very strong, and as the soft marl banks, sparsely clothed with dwarfed man- | grove and buttonwood, afforded no shade, the walking was decidedly hot. The banks are penetrated in every direction with the arms of the lagoon, now almost dry, but after south-westerly winds they fill so that a boat will float in them. The nests are always built in these lagoons or on their brink, so that when the water rises the nests are almost awash. Indeed in rough weather the eggs are sometimes washed out of them. The birds can thus feed while sitting. At length, having crawled under the roots of the dwarf mangroves that covered the slob like a network of croquet-hoops, we found ourselves at the edge of the marl, and within one hundred and fifty yards of the birds, which were still undisturbed. Here, with my glasses, I could see every feather, note the color of the eyes, and watch every movement. There were, we calculated, between seven hundred and a thousand birds, and a continuous low, goose-like cackling was kept up. Never did I see a more beautiful mass of color. The male birds had now all got together, standing about five feet high, and with necks extended and heads erect were evidently watching events, preserving in the mean time a masterly inactivity. Now and again one would stretch out his great black and scarlet wings, but the general effect was the most exquisite shade of pink, as the feathers of the breast and neck are much lighter than those of the wings. The hens sat on the nests, and some were sitting down in the muddy lagoon. I watched them carefully for nearly an hour, and looked at every nest to see if the legs were extended along the side. In no case did I see a leg. I saw the birds go on to the nest and sit down. I saw them get up, and step down from the nest. In every instance the legs were folded under the bird in the usual manner. In my opinion my observation settles the point as to the mode of sitting; for even if, as I had been assured, the birds sit both ways, it is improbable that among the hundreds then sitting not one would have extended the legs. Remembering the great length of the flamingo's legs, it is evident that on a new nest, not more than eight inches high, the hen could not thus sit, nor would even the highest nest allow of the legs being extended while the bird sat upon it. A walk of about an hour brought us to a small clump of trees, from behind which we carefully reconnoitred, and there, within half a mile, we saw the birds. Very lovely the pink mass looked in the bright sunlight. There were three separate clusters of nests, every one of which was occupied, while the male birds stood around, their heads raised high, as they evidently suspected mischief. As I could not clearly make out with my glasses the position of the legs of the sitting birds, there was nothing for it but a long stalk over the intervening slob, with the blazing sun now almost vertical. The first quarter of After having watched the birds for the a mile was comparatively easy, as we time named, we showed ourselves; but could creep on our hands and knees; but whether they had observed us before, and then we came to a point where nothing become somewhat accustomed to our but vermicular motion could avail us, and presence, or that when sitting they are for real hard work let me recommend it to more easy to approach than I thought, the those who are content with very active only effect was that the hens left the nest, exercise without attaining a high rate of and, joining the male birds, prepared for progression. The tropical sun beat down eventualities, nor did they take wing until upon us, hatless as we now were, from we had begun to walk up to the rookery. a cloudless sky; but I suppose that our While we were examining it, the birds profuse perspiration saved us from any flew round us within forty yards, so that ill effects, the rapid evaporation counter- we could have shot them easily. Of acting the sun's heat. It may be that I course we did not do so. To prevent the was too anxious about reaching a favor-destruction of flamingoes and pigeons by their wholesale slaughter during the breed-| sand elephants are annually sacrificed for ing season, the Bahamas Legislature their tusks. Year by year the wild animal passed in 1885 a Wild Birds' Protection is driven into narrower limits by the inAct, from which I hope for good results. Having taken a few eggs as specimens, and lifted carefully on to a board a nest destined for presentation to the Zoological Society, which was carried safely to the ship on the head of Edgar Archer, but unfortunately broken afterwards by a clumsy sailor, we started for the yacht. On our way back across the lagoon we pulled to a high clump of mangroves, in which the frigate-birds build every year. There were some scores of them sitting among the branches, but no nests had yet been built; nor could we discover in the clefts of the small rocky island near the landing place the nest of the "johnny crow,' which breeds there every year. cessant pursuit of the hunter, and the day cannot be very distant when he will perish altogether. Possibly the tuskless animal of Ceylon, which offers no such temptation, and which it would be easy to protect if it is not already protected. - against the sportsman, will continue to prolong the race; but the extent of Ceylon is comparatively small, and its elephant herds are already largely drawn upon to keep up the supply of the domesticated animal. For though the elephant sometimes breeds in captivity, this occurrence is so rare that it cannot be relied upon for preserving the stock. Consequently, the extinction of "the wild animal implies that within no long period of time the species will altogether cease to exist. In due course we wended our way back through the sturdy bracken and the silent woods. The morning-glory had already changed its blue coat for one of deep purple, and the leaves looked thirsting for their nightly draught of dew. We quenched our thirst with the warm juice of the pineapples cut fresh from the trees, and a plunge overboard into the clear, cool water soon removed every trace of fatigue. woman HENRY A. BLAKE. From The Spectator. ELEPHANTS. When this shall happen, the world will have lost what may fairly be reckonedwhen its dignity and majestic strength are considered, as well as its sagacity and moral development the noblest animal after man. We speak pace the admirers of the dog; but the dog, as obviously the satellite of man, is wanting in the essential quality of dignity. What dog, too, could have stirred a whole nation as Jumbo did in his life and death? The demonstrations of the sentiment were often extravagantly absurd; but the animal which made them possible must be allowed to stand very high in the scale of creation. The The ancients, who are sparing in their It is possible, and even probable, that praises of the dog (by far the larger part persons now living may see the extinction of the world has always abhorred him as of the elephant as a wild animal. The the very type of uncleanness), could not operation of natural causes has already speak too highly of the elephant. reduced the many species which once ex- elder Pliny, who was a diligent collector isted on the earth to two, and to these two of anecdotes rather than an observer, surthe demands of human luxury will prob- passes himself when he treats of this ably before long prove fatal. It is not, animal. He places him as unquestionindeed, the vanity of man-or, rather, ably next to man. Intelligence, obedience, deadly to so many of the fairest memory, ambition, affection, honesty, pruthings in creation, that threatens the ex- dence, and justice are among the cataistence of the elephant, but a more solid, logue of virtues which he ascribes to these and perhaps more reasonable cause. The creatures. He even declares that they are things which he perishes to furnish would religious, worshipping the stars, the sun, be called objects of utility rather than of and the moon, an assertion in which he is ornament. It is our table-knives, so rap- followed by Plutarch and Ælian. The idly worn out in handle as well as blade, stories which he tells of their sagacity, that destroy him. One firm of English and aptitude for acquiring accomplishcutlers, we believe, takes nearly three- ments, are marvellous. That they should fourths of the African supply; and it is go through the motions of a dance or a from Africa, where both the male and gladitorial combat, is credible. Busbecq female animal are heavily tusked, that tells us of one which he himself saw in most of our ivory comes. It has been Turkey that danced and played at ball. calculated that at least a hundred thou- | But our faith is taxed when we read of |