120 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



THE HUMMINGBIRD 



Teacher's Storv 



bird taking sweetened icatcr from a flower, 

 Photo by Mary Pierron Allen. Courtesy of Bird Lore. 



Formerly it was 

 believed that this 

 daintiest of birds 

 found the nectar 

 of flowers ample 

 support for its 

 active life ; but 

 the later methods 

 of discovering 

 what birds eat by 

 examining the 

 contents of their 

 stomachs, show 

 that the hum- 

 mingbird is an 

 insect eater of 

 most ravenous 



appetite. Not 



only does it catch insects in mid air, but undoubtedly takes them while 

 they are feasting on the nectar of the 

 tubular flowers which the humming- 

 bird loves to visit. Incidentally, the 

 hummingbird carries the pollen for 

 these flowers and may be counted 

 as a friend in every respect, since 

 usually the insects in the nectaries 

 of the flowers with long tubu- 

 lar corollas, are stealing nectar without 

 giving in return compensation to the 

 flower by carrying its pollen . Such in - 

 sects may be the smaller beetles, ants 

 and flies. The adaptations of the hum- 

 mingbird's beak and long, double- 

 tubed tongue, are especially for secur- 

 ing this mingled diet of insects and 

 nectar. It is interesting to note that 

 the young hummingbirds have the 

 beak much shorter than when mature. 

 Its beak is exactly fitted to probe 

 those flowers where the humming- 

 bird finds its food. The tongue has the 

 outer edges curved over making a tube 

 on each side. These tubes are pro- 

 vided with minute brushes at the tips 

 and thus are fitted both for sucking 

 nectar and for sweeping up the insects. 

 The natural home of the humming- 

 bird seems to have been in the Ameri- 



young hummingbirds in nest. 

 Half natural size. 



