STRANGE BIRDS 15$ 



The tropical humming birds made themselves 

 at home along the trail as they did everywhere 

 in the forest. At home I had known the little 

 ruby-throated humming bird that haunts honey- 

 suckle vines. Here they w^ere almost as large as 

 sparrows and nearly as inquisitive. 



One evening near sunset, while I was sitting by 

 the little creek, a large green-throated humming 

 bird came up, apparently attracted by my new 

 tan cloth hat. He came gradually closer, pausing 

 at different levels and holding his place in the air 

 by moving his wings so fast they could not be 

 seen. If startled he darted several feet straight 

 up into the air and held himself poised there. At 

 last he came within easy arm's reach, with his 

 long sharp bill pointed directly toward my eyes, 

 so that I guessed it must be the gleam of my 

 eyeglasses that fascinated him. After a careful 

 examination he flew off, having decided, no doubt, 

 that there was no food around me. 



Again, one of these graceful, rapidly moving 

 little fellows flew under my arm as I was writing 

 in my notebook in the forest. They seem to be 

 quite fearless, perhaps because they can dart 

 away so rapidly from the attacks of bigger 

 creatures. 



Mr. Beebe, who has written about the birds 

 and animals of the South American rainy tropics, 

 tells of finding the humming birds sleeping on bare 

 vines or shrubs with their heads tucked under 



