Page:Travels in Mexico and life among the Mexicans.djvu/521

that the Mexicano looked upon a man in pursuit of birds, insects, or antiquities as "a confounded fool, a crazy man,"—or un lunatico,—and, as they never kill or injure such a creature, whom they regard as harmless, he may expose himself with impunity. This explanation was not tendered me until after my return from my first Mexican trip, or I should not probably have felt flattered by the innocent attentions of the fair señoras and señoritas, who were so much interested in an Americario carrying a gun and a butterfly-net.