HUMMERS. 155 



unlucky moment when he got the oak branches 

 tangled in the pommel of the saddle, although 

 her branch was not among them, I can but admire 

 her for moving when she found that the Philis- 

 tines were again upon her, for her new house was 

 hung at the tip of a branch that Billy might easily 

 have swept in passing. 



These nests had all been very low, only four or 

 five feet above the ground ; but one day I found 

 young in one of the common treetop nests. I 

 could see it through the branches. Two little 

 heads stuck up above the edge like two small 

 Jacks-in-boxes. Billy made such a noise under 

 the oak when the bird was feeding the youngsters 

 that I took him away where he could not disturb 

 the family, and tied him to an oak covered with 

 poison ivy, for he was especially fond of eating 

 it, and the poison did not affect him. 



Before the old hummer flew off, she picked up 

 a tiny white feather that she found in the nest, 

 and wound it around a twig. On her return, in 

 the midst of her feeding, she darted down and set 

 the feather flying ; but as it got away from her, 

 she caught it again. The performance was 

 repeated the next time she came with food ; but 

 she did it all so solemnly I could not tell whether 

 she were playing or trying to get rid of something 

 that annoyed her. 



She fed at the long intervals that are so trying 

 to an observer, for if you are going to sit for hours 



