ANNOYED BY HUMMINGBIRDS. 225 



of another bird upon his domain. He greeted 

 his fellow-sufferer first with hisses and then 

 with threats and feints of war. Trembleur did 

 not respond, but he presented his formidable 

 bill in readiness to repel attack. 



One of his own family, another siffleur, being 

 added to the imprisoned party, the first-comer 

 was most unfriendly, flying at him, and trying 

 to keep him from food and water. 



Another indication of the bird's love of quiet 

 was his annoyance at the hummingbirds, whose 

 ways Mr. Ober was studying, and who flitted 

 about the room all the time. From the first he 

 regarded them with disfavor. Their frivolous 

 manners and their constant humming were not 

 pleasing to him ; but when they became so im- 

 pertinent as to alight on his back, this trifling 

 with his dignity was past endurance ; he hissed, 

 and snapped his beak at the elusive little crea- 

 tui-es, and finally worked himself into such a 

 rage that he was found completely exhausted, 

 and almost in a dying condition. These con- 

 tinued excitements, indeed, so wore upon his 

 sensitive nature that he did not long survive his 

 extreme passion. 



This was the more to be regretted because of 

 the readiness with which he accepted his fate. 

 He became tame in a week after capture, and 

 readily took food from the fingers. From the 



