THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 277 



to prejudice in any way the discussion of the co-education of the 

 sexes. I think society is not prepared to discuss that question now. 

 It is being worked out in the best possible manner, that of actual ex- 

 periment. But, my aim has been to fix, if possible, the actual value 

 of the puberic age of woman as a crisis, so that there may be no ficti- 

 tious bar to her progress to either a higher education, or to her train- 

 ing for any of the skilled labors suited to her strength. 



THE HUMMING-BIEDS. 



By JAMES H. PARTRIDGE. 



THE discovery of America opened up to the civilized world many 

 new objects of interest in the animal, vegetable, and mineral 

 kingdoms. Not the least in interest was the discovery of an extensive 

 group of birds, consisting of several hundred species, whose dimin- 

 utive size, quickness of motion, boldness of demeanor, elegance of 

 form, and exquisite beauty of plumage, attracted the attention and 

 secured the admiration of every lover of Nature. 



The larger portion of these birds live in the West Indies and the 

 tropical regions of America. Some occupy only a small island or dis- 

 trict ; others, a narrow belt on the side of a mountain : most do not 

 extend their limits beyond a few degrees of latitude, while a few are 

 migratory, and spend the summer in the temperate zone, but return 

 to the tropical regions for the winter. Their food consists of honey 

 and insects ; and, consequently, they must live where flowers grow 

 and insects abound. The Indians gave to these interesting little 

 creatures fanciful names that expressed the idea of sunbeams, sun- 

 angels, sun-gems, tresses of the day-star, murmuring-birds, and the 

 like. And naturalists have given to them names equally fanciful, ex- 

 pressing the same or similar ideas, such as brilliant birds, light-bear- 

 ers, sun-seekers, flower-kissers, honey-suckers, living meteors, and many 

 others of similar meaning. They derive their common name from the 

 buzzing or humming sound which they make with their wings. These 

 vibrate so quickly as to be visible only as a semicircular film on each 

 side of the body. The sound made by different species varies with 

 the velocity of their wings. That made by the vervain hummino-- 

 bii-d resembles the sound of a large bee; while that made by the 

 polytmus resembles the sound of a swiftly-revolving wheel. 



One of the peculiarities which first strikes a stranger, upon seeing 

 one of these brilliant breathing gems, is the immense power of wing, 

 shown by the quickness of his flight, also by the ease with which he 

 balances himself in the air, whether, foraging immolested, he is feed- 

 ing at the flowers, or, attracted by curiosity, he is surveying one's 



