RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD 209 



consists in fl}' ing upward, and then tumbling suddenly in 

 the air, repeating the manoeuvre again and again, all the time 

 uttering its shrill cry. During the nesting season, the male 

 may often be seen on a conspicuous perch near the nest, and 

 when the young are being fed, one parent flies out to meet 

 the one that is bringing food, and welcomes it noisily. 



The flight of the Kingbird is steady and at about the same 

 level. The orange-red crest-feathers are generally concealed 

 by their blackish tips, but in the mating season, or under the 

 influence of anger, they flare out. The black tail, broadly 

 tipped with ivhite, and the white under parts make the 

 Kingbird an easy bird to identify, even from a car window. 



GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS, 

 ETC. : ORDER MACROCHIRES 



HUMMINGBIRDS : FAMILY TROCHILIDiE 



RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. TrOChUllS Coluhvis 



3.74 



Ad. $ — Chin black, rest of throat, when seen from in front, 

 intense crimson changing to golden red, bnt from the side appar- 

 ently without color ; rest of lower parts dusky-whitish ; upper 

 parts bright green. Ad. 9- — Throat whitish; otherwise as in 

 male. 



Nest, of plant-down, saddled on a limb, the outside covered 

 with lichen. Eggs, two, white. 



The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a rather common 

 summer resident of New York and New England, arriving 

 in May, and leaving in September. The neighborhood of 

 flowers, particularly red flowers, attracts this insect-like 

 bird ; columbine, nasturtium, trumpet-vine, scarlet honey- 

 suckle, monarda, and jewel-\veed are particular favorites. 

 Contrary to the general notion, the Hummingbird often 

 perches either on a dead twig or on a telegraph wire ; as it 



