98 I N A G U A 



took to the higher branches of the trees to do their feeding. 

 Then in the space of a few hours the clouds descended lower 

 and lower until they scudded just above the tree tops. Still near 

 to the ground there was no wind and the atmosphere was close 

 and sweltering. But only for a short time. Roaring out of the 

 expanses of the restless Caribbean came the hurricane, suddenly 

 shrieking across the coast, snatching the leaves from the tree 

 tops, breaking the branches and throwing the jungle giants to 

 the ground in a gargantuan tangle of vines and twisted creep- 

 ers. As the trees fell, the hummingbirds that took refuge in their 

 branches were suddenly caught up by the great suction of the 

 wind and in a few seconds tossed skywards toward the black 

 racing clouds. Close together, a pair that had sought shelter 

 on the same branch, were swirled heavenwards and, fighting 

 valiantly with the gusts, sought futilely to reach the shelter of 

 the forest. Their efforts were in vain. Their small bodies, 

 weighing less than an ounce, were but chaff before the wind, 

 they possessed neither the bulk nor the force to combat the 

 howHng gale. Then in rapid succession came great pelting 

 sheets of rain, huge stinging drops that beat against their tiny 

 bodies and soaked through their straining feathers. There was 

 only one hope, to soar above the deluge. Side by side these 

 hummingbirds permitted themselves to be swirled away on the 

 updraft of the hurricane's funnel hundreds of feet above the 

 ground. Then as quickly as it had come, the revolving, twist- 

 ing demon shrieked away from the coast, leaving behind a 

 scene of utter desolation. On and on into the limitless wastes 

 of the blue ocean the monster howled, on past Cuba, on through 

 the Windward Passage and out into the broad Atlantic. Prob- 

 ably hours passed and in all the roar of the hurricane two pairs 

 of tiny wings beat at the swirling air; forty to fifty wing strokes 

 to the second, tossed skywards one moment, down to the crests 

 of the waves the next, on through the evening and into the 



