Observations on the Humming- Bird. 595 



tice, as strong and swiftly as the mother ; taking their first 

 dart from the nest to a tree about 20 yards distant." 



The singularity of this little bird has induced many persons 

 to attempt to raise them from the nest, and accustom them 

 to the cage. Mr. Coffer of Fairfax county, Virginia, raised 

 and kept two, for some months, in a cage, supplying them 

 with honey dissolved in water, on which they readily fed. 

 As the sweetness of the liquid frequently brought small flies 

 and gnats about the cage and cup, the birds amused them- 

 selves by snapping at them on the wing, and swallowing them 

 with eagerness ; so that these insects formed no inconsiderable 

 part of their food. Mr. Charles Wilson Peale, proprietor 

 of the museum at Philadelphia, had two humming-birds, 

 which he had raised from the nest. They used to fly about 

 the room, and would frequently perch on Mrs. Peale's shoulder 

 to be fed. In the summer of 1803, a nest of young humming- 

 birds was brought to Wilson, that were nearly fit to fly. 

 One of them actually flew out of the window the same even- 

 ing, and, falling against a wall, was killed. The other refused 

 food ; and, the next morning, he could but just perceive that it 

 had life. A lady in the house undertook to be its nurse, 

 placed it in her bosom, and, as it began to revive, dissolved a 

 little sugar in her mouth, into which she thrust its bill; and it 

 sucked with great avidity. In this manner it was brought up 

 until fit for the cage. 



The only instance of their being carried to a different cli- 

 mate is thus related by Dr. Latham ; and there can be little 

 doubt, from the partial success of these attempts, that great 

 care and great experience, with a more perfect knowledge of 

 their proper food, would enable them to reach this country, 

 and, perhaps, adorn a separate apartment in some conserva- 

 tory. The European summer birds of passage have been now 

 successfully kept in confinement for several years, and an 

 attempt upon similar principles might prosper. 



It was a mango humming-bird (Trochilus mango), which 

 was successfully brought to England. " A young gentleman, 

 a few days before he sailed from Jamaica for England, met 

 with a female humming-bird sitting on the nest and eggs ; and, 

 cutting off the twig, he brought all together on board. The 

 bird became sufficiently tame to suffer herself to be fed on 

 honey and water during the passage, and hatched two young 

 ones. The mother, however, did not long survive ; but the 

 young were brought to England, and continued for some time 

 in the possession of Lady Hammond. The little creatures 

 readily took honey from the lips of Lady Hammond ; and, 



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