TROCHILID.E — THE IIFMMIXa-BIRDS. 449 



skins ; others, however, are not distinguishable from tlie nortliern speci- 

 mens. 



Habits. This species is found tliroughout eastern North America, as far 

 west as the IMissouri Valley, and breeds from Florida and the valley of the 

 Eio Grande to high northern latitudes. Richardson states that it ranges at 

 least to the 57th parallel, and probably even farther north. He obtained 

 specimens on the plains of the Saskatchewan, and Mr. Drummond found 

 one of its nests near the source of the Elk River. Mr. Dresser found this 

 bird breeding in Southwestern Texas, and also resident there during the 

 winter montlis, and 1 have received their nests and eggs from Florida and 

 Georgia. It was found by Mr. Skinner to be abundant in (niatemala during 

 the winter months, on tiie southern slope of the great Cordillera, showing 

 that it chooses for its winter retreat the moderate climate aflbrded l>y a re- 

 gion lying between the elevations of three anil four thousand feet, where 

 it winters in large numbers. Mr. Salvin noted their first arrival in 

 Guatemala as early as the 24th of August. From that date the number 

 rapidly increased until the first week in October, when it had become by 

 far the most common species about Dueiias. It seemed also to be univer- 

 sally distributed, being equally common at Coban, at San Geronimo, and the 

 plai.is of Salaniii. 



The birds of tliis species make tlieir appearance on our southern border 

 late in March, and slowly mo\e northward in their migrations, reaching 

 Upj^er Georgia about the 10th of April, Pennsylvania from the last of 

 April to aljout the middle of May, and farther iirirth tlio last of May or tlie 

 first of Jime. They nest in Massachusetts about the lUth of June, and are 

 about thirteen days between the full number of eggs and the appearance of 

 the young. They resent any approach to tlieir nest, and will even make 

 angry movements around the liead of the intruder, uttering a sliarp outcry. 

 Other than this I have never heard them utter any note. 



Attempts to keep in confinement the Humming-Bird have been only par- 

 tially successful. They have been known to live, at the best, only a few 

 months, and soon perish, partly from imperfect nourislmient and unsuita- 

 ble food, and probably also from insufficient warmth. 



Nunier(nis examinations of stomachs of these birds, taken in a natural 

 state, demonstrate that minute insects constitute a \-ery large proportion of 

 their necessary food. These are swallowed whole. The young birds feed 

 by putting their own V)ills do\vn the throats of their parents, sucking proba- 

 bly a prepared sustenance of nectar and fragments of insects. They raise, 

 I think, but one brood in a season. The young soon learn to take care of 

 themselves, and appear to remain some time after their parents have left. 

 They leave New England in Septemlier, aud have all passed southward be- 

 yond our limits by November. 



A nest of this bird, from Dr. Gerliardt, of Georgia, measures 1.75 inches 

 in its external diameter and 1.50 in heiglit. Its cavity mcasiires 1.00 



VOL. It. 57 



