WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD 455 



tions in voice were so great that they seemed to me to result from 

 variations in the structure of the vocal organs. I never heard the 

 white-ear that produced the metallic rattle utter the clear, silvery 

 tinlcle, or vice versa. More than this, I find it difficult to believe 

 that the same individual was physically capable of producing sounds 

 so distinct. It is not impossible, although the point would be diffi- 

 cult of actual proof, that these peculiarities of voice are inherited, 

 and that the males of the same assembly are somehow related by ties 

 of blood. 



Whether a clear dawn revealed the pastures white with frost, or 

 day broke sadly over a world drenched in gray, wind-blown cloud 

 mist, dreary and penetratingly chill, the white-eared hummingbirds 

 always began to sing in the dim light of early dawn. Once the season 

 of song was at its height, neither wind nor rain or cold, driving 

 cloud mist could utterly quench the spirits or extinguish the voices 

 of these tiny hummers. They sang most vigorously early in the 

 morning, and less and less as the day advanced. In the afternoon 

 their song was rather inconstant, for they were far less persevering 

 in their vocal exercises than the violet-ears {Golibri thalassinics) , 

 one of which made almost as much volume of sound as a whole 

 assembly of white-ears, and continued his chant far more constantly 

 through the day. As he sang the male white-ear tilted upward 

 his coral-red, black-tipped bill and turned his head restlessly from 

 side to side. Sometimes he would interrupt his tinkling to utter 

 a rapid twittering, which ran off into a very low buzz of a most 

 peculiar tone. Perhaps this twittering and buzzing represented his 

 true song, but it was far less melodious than the tinkling of those 

 individuals with the clearest voices and would not bear comparison 

 with the inspired little song of Elliot's hummingbird (Atthis hel- 

 oisa) . At intervals he vibrated his wings in the midst of his tinkling, 

 or paused and slowly stretched them. Finally, becoming hungry, he 

 flew off to suck nectar from the flowers, the nearest of which were 

 often at a considerable distance from the singing-perch. 



The territorial rights of each white-ear were respected by the 

 others, and as a rule each sounded his little tinkle without much 

 interference from his neighbors. But occasionally one invaded the 

 domain of another, and a vigorous but inconsequential pursuit re- 

 sulted. Sometimes one settled down close to the perch of a second, 

 and the two sang face to face or side by side for a few moments, 

 until one dashed at the other and both winged rapidly out of sight. 

 Or else the two rose, spiring about each other, high into the air, 

 only to separate without having come to grips or inflicted injury 

 on each other. Then, the momentary flareup over, each would re- 

 turn peaceably to his own post and continue his tireless calling. 



