BIRDS OF AMERICA 



and as the impetus carried him up, a high-pitched 

 musical trill sounded above the whir of his wings. 

 Again and again he swung back and forth, evi- 

 dently in an effort to win the heart of some lady. 

 He must have won her, for I think this was 

 one of a pair that had their home in the Virginia 

 creeper at the side of the house. 



I have never known just what to think of the 

 male Hummingbird. He is an enthusiastic lover, 

 but he disappears entirely when the nest is 

 finished and incubation begins. I think he was 

 never known to give his wife a hand in caring 



for the young birds. I found it the same with 

 the Rufous Hummingbird as Bradford Torrey 

 says of his Ruby-throat : he drops out of exist- 

 ence leaving a widow with twins on her hands. 

 Perhaps the male Hummingbird is not an inten- 

 tional shirk and deserter. I think that some- 

 where back through the generations of Hum- 

 mingbird experience it was found that such 

 bright colors about the home were unmistakable 

 clues for enemies. Therefore, it is the law of 

 self-protection for him to keep away from the 

 nest. WiLLi.OiM L. Finlky 



Photo bv Mrs. Granville Pike Courtesy of Nat. Asso. Aud. So 



MALE RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD 



Washington 



