WESTERN BIRDS Hummingbird 



But as the days pass, the eyes open, one end elongates 

 and becomes a bill, and feathers cover the black skin, 

 until you are convinced that, after all, no prank has 

 been played, but that those uncanny looking objects 

 were birds, all the time. 



When Madam feeds her babies, you have another sur- 

 prise, for she feeds by regurgitation and you feel sure 

 that instant death will result in consequence. Perching 

 on the edge of the nest, she runs her needle-like bill into 

 the mouth of the nestling, and jams it down his throat 

 until you expect to see it come out through the nest; 

 then, not content with this merciless treatment of inno- 

 cent young she begins jabbing up and down, pumping the 

 food from her stomach into that of the nestling. First 

 one, and then the other is fed in this way until each 

 has had several helpings, when the mother takes to the 

 nest, or flies away, according to the age of the young. 

 The birds do not feed often, frequently a half hour, or 

 more, elapsing between feedings. Strange to say, the 

 nestlings like this kind of jugglery and hang onto the 

 mother's bill in an effort to get more. The young are 

 fed for a few days after they leave the nest, but they 

 also fly from flower to flower and delve in for them- 

 selves. 



GENUS ARCHILOCHUS: BLACK- 

 CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD. 



Black-Chinned Hummingbird: Archilochus 

 alexdndri. 



FAMILY— HUMMINGBIRDS. 



The bird in the west which is nearest related to the 

 Ruby-throated, being the only other member of genus 

 Trochilus, is the Black-chinned Hummingbird, which is 

 found the entire length of the Pacific Coast from British 



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