THE RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD 



glasses, the doctor observed the birds eating insects served 

 in birch syrup. 



Professor Beal reports having seen as many as one hun- 

 dred hummingbirds "hovering about the flowers of a 

 buckeye tree, and this number was maintained all day and 

 for many days, though the individuals were going and 

 coming all the time." Burroughs once saw a humming- 

 bird take his morning bath in dewdrops. 



There are about five hundred known species of hum- 

 mingbird. They may be found in North and South 

 America from Alaska to Patagonia. They are most 

 numerous in northern South America, in Colombia and 

 Ecuador. Seventeen species are found in our western 

 and southwestern states, but only one, the Ruby-throat, 

 lives in the East. 



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