Facts on Humtning- Birds, 571 



Nectarinese, though much more simple, is well adapted, from 

 its expanded, ciliate, or spinose tip, for taking up the nec- 

 tareous juices, which are yielded by plants much more pro- 

 fusely than Mr. Rennie supposes [I. 371.]' 

 iSf, Vincent, May 1. 1830.]. 



[Mr. Sells has related, in V. 473, 474., two instances of 

 humming-birds nidificating in domestic situations. He has 

 also presented, in p. 474., facts, and argument from them, in 

 proof that the humming-birds feed on the nectar of flowers. 

 Mr. Waterton has remarked, in his Wanderings in South 

 America (see an extract from them in our V. 475, 476.), that 

 " it seems to be an erroneous opinion that the humming- 

 bird feeds entirely on honey-dew," that is, the nectar of 

 flowers ; and that, " on opening the stomach of the humming- 

 bird, dead insects are almost always found there." Mr. 

 Waterton, besides using, in these remarks, the words " en- 

 tirely " and " almost," has also this observation, quoted in 

 our V. 475. : — " See it [the humming-bird] darting through 

 the air almost as quick as thought ! Now it is within a yard of 

 your face : in an instant, gone ! Now it flutters from flower 

 to flower, to sip the silver dew," &c. From these expressions, 

 we may learn that, while Mr. Waterton has taught that the 

 humming-birds feed on insects, he has not denied that they 

 also partake of the nectareous juices of flowers. 



Wilson, also, according to Professor Rennie, in our I. 

 371., " found, upon repeated dissection, that the Trochilus 

 colubris had a quantity of insects in its stomach, either whole 

 or in fragments." 



Our correspondent O. has communicated, in VII. 510., 

 some facts on the habits of the Tiochilus colubris, as observed 

 by him in Lower Canada. We believe, with him, " that 

 very little honey is secreted in flowers while the sun is shining 

 hot upon them ; " but the absence of the humming-bird during 

 the middle of the day, which he has attributed to this cause, 

 is ascribed to another by Mr. Waterton : see in V. 476. 



Other information on humming-birds will be found in V. 

 676., VII. 71. 90. For notices of Sir William Jardine's 

 Natural History of Humming- Birds, in two volumes, with 

 coloured figures of many of the species, see VI. 259., VII. 90. 



Humming- Birds perforate Flowers to obtain the Nectar they 

 include, when this is not otherwise accessible. See in p. 569. 



Insects perforate Flowers to obtain the Nectar they include, 

 when this is not otherwise accessible. See in IV. 93. 479. ; V. 

 74. 86. 753.; VI. 469. ; and The Entomological Magazine, ii. 

 328. The perforator in this last case was " the great humble 



