[Aztlan] Plaster and Echoes

[Sid Hollander]

Mr. David Lubman wrote,

At least one online bird authority seems to accept the plausibility of this
proposal (Songbird Remix Central).
Please post the proposal referenced above.  It would do so very much towards
establishing what you are proposing.

Elaine's quote of Alexander Skutch's 1944 article also makes the point that
calls are varied. It also notes that quetzal vocalizations become more
frequent starting in February and especially during the March Mating season.
This is supportive of the hypothesis of intentionality if the spring equinox
shadow at the chirping staircase is meant to recall a cloud forest homeland.


Are you implying here that because the Quetzal songs are varied; that their
frequency of calls increases come February and March(their mating season)
which happens to overlap the equinox  that somehow these facts are
supportive of your hypothesis (which we have yet to see but I assumed in an
earlier post)?

Maya hunters imitated bird calls. I imagine the bird call vocabulary of Maya
hunters was extensive. I was told that the quetzal is among the bird species
that respond to the sound of their own call. The Laconda sp?) Indians use
that technique to the present day.
Saying it like that way is may lead to faulty conclusions when it is more
accurate to say:

Maya hunters imitated bird calls of their region!  I imagine the bird call
vocabulary of Maya
hunters was extensive to the degree that they were receptive and desirable
for their by products. I was told that the quetzal is among the bird species
that respond to the sound of their own but alas they were not
native/available to the hunters of Chichen. The Laconda sp?) Indians and
many other peoples use this technique to the present day.

The section where you begin:

Many Maya traveled extensively…

Is wide open to speculation relative to the word many.  I will agree that
the Maya had extensive trade routes but I feel that the numbers of merchants
& their supporting staff was miniscule in comparison to the total Maya.

I have no doubt that Quetzal feathers were widely traded and revered.

I implore you to post your proposal to the list and mention, if you will,
the reasons you feel the proposal is worthy of consideration.
Sid Hollander
Merida, Yucatan