450 HUMMING-BIRD 



no island of the Antilles but is inhabited by one or more Humming- 

 birds, and there are some very remarkable singularities of geo- 

 graphical distribution to be found. Northwards from Panama, the 

 highlands present many genera, whose names it would be useless 

 here to insert, few or none of Avhich are found in South America — 

 though that must unquestionably be deemed the metropolis of the 

 Family, and advancing towards Mexico the numbers gradually fall 

 off. Seventeen species have been enrolled in the fauna of the 

 United States, but some perhaps on slender evidence, while others 

 only just cross the frontier line. 



But little room is left to speak of the habits of Humming-birds, 

 which is perhaps of the less consequence since the subject, as regards 

 most of the species which in life have come under the observation 

 of ornithologists, has been so ably treated by writers like Waterton, 

 Wilson, and Audubon, to say nothing of Gosse, Bates, Mr. Wallace, 

 and some others, while, whatever novelty further investigation may 

 supply, it is certain that at present we lack . information that will 

 explain the origin or the function of the many modifications of 

 external structure of which mention has been made. But there is 

 no one appreciative of the beauties of nature who will not recall to 

 memory with delight the time when a live Humming-bird first met 

 his gaze. The suddenness of the apparition, even when expected, 

 and its brief duration, are alone enough to fix the fluttering vision 

 on the mind's eye. The ^vings of the bird, if flying, are only 

 visible as a thin grey film, bounded above and below by fine black 

 threads, in form of a St. Andrew's cross, — the effect on the observer's 

 retina of the instantaneous reversal of the motion of the wing at 

 each beat — the strokes being so rapid as to leave no more distinct 

 image. Consequently an adequate representation of the bird on the 

 wing cannot be produced by the draughtsman. Humming-birds 

 shew to the greatest advantage when engaged in contest with 

 another, for rival cocks fight fiercely, and, as may be expected, it 

 is then that their plumage flashes with the most glowing tints. But 

 these are quite invisible to the ordinary spectator except when very 

 near at hand, though doubtless efiicient enough for their object, 

 whether that be to inflame their mate or to irritate or daunt their 

 opponent, or something that we cannot compass. Humming-birds, 

 however, will also often sit still for a while, chiefly in an exposed 

 position, on a dead twig, occasionally darting into the air, either 

 to catch a passing insect or to encounter an adversary ; and so 

 pugnacious are they that they will frequently attack birds many 

 times bigger than themselves, without, as would seem, any pro- 

 vocation. 



The food of Humming-birds consists mainly of insects, mostly 

 gathered in the manner already described from the flowers they 

 visit ; but, according to Mr. Wallace, there are many species which 



