A TALKATIVE HUMMINGBIRD. 105 



human marriage, a rhapsody is more in harmony 

 with joyous bird unions, and the air rang with 

 their raptures. The marriage hymn of the 

 hummingbird — if any there were — was not for 

 human ears ; indeed, most of the life, certainly 

 all of the wedded life of this bird, is shrouded 

 in mystery, perhaps never to be unraveled till 

 we understand bird language, and can subject 

 him to an " interview." 



The first thing that surprised me in my little 

 neighbor was her volubility, for I had never 

 found her kin talkative. She made remarks 

 to herself, doubtless both witty and wise, but 

 sounding to her dull-eared hearers, it must be 

 confessed, like squeaky twitters ; and somewhat 

 later, when she recognized me as an admirer, as 

 I fully believe she did, she even addressed some 

 conversation to me, going out of her way to fly 

 over my head as she did so. 



Nothing could be more dainty than her way 

 of exploring the flowers on her vine. Poising 

 herself on wing before a blossom, she first gazed 

 earnestly into its rosy depths, to judge of its 

 quality, — or possibly of its tenants ; for it was 

 not nectar alone that she sought. If it pleased 

 her, she dashed upon it, seized the lower rim with 

 her tiny claws, and folded her wings. Then 

 drawing her head far back, she thrust her beak, 

 her head, and sometimes her whole body into 



