5G2 oitNixnoLOGY. 



on tlic mountains, to pass tlirough llie haunts of this Ilununor, it frequently 

 happened that one of the httle croatmx'S, prompted apparently by curiosit}*, 

 would approach close to us and remain poised in one spot, its wings vibra- 

 ting so rapidly as to a})pear as a mere haze around the body ; now and 

 then it would sliift from one side to another, its little black eyes sparkling 

 as it eyed us intently. So close Avmild it finally approach that to strike it 

 ■with the hat or a stick seemed to be quite an easy matter, but upon the 

 slightest motion on our part the little thing would vanish so quickly that 

 its direction could scarcely be traced. 



On the mountains we found many nests of this Ilumming-bird, every 

 one of them being discovered by frightening the female from of!" her eggs 

 or 'young. They were variously situated, most of them being in the scrub- 

 oaks on the slopes of the hills ; many were in willows or other bushes bor- 

 denng the streams, and not a few on drooping twigs of cotton-wood trees, 

 alojig the water-courses. One of those which we secured (No. 1377> affords 

 good evidence of the possession by this bird of a high degree of instinct, if 

 not an aj^proach to reason. This nest was built upon a dead twig of a 

 small cotton- wood ; the bark of this twig gradually loosened, and after the 

 eggs were laid slipped around (perhaps by the parent bird alighting upon 

 one edge of the nest), so that the nest was turned round to the under side 

 of the limb and the e^ffs throwni out. Instead of abandonins: this nest, 

 liowever, the sharp little owners built an addition to it, making another 

 complete nest on the iipper side, which was now secured in position by the 

 superior weight of the moi'e bulky pendant oue.^ 



List of specimens. 



9G3, S ad.,- Salt Lake City, May 20, 18G9, (City Creek Cauon). 4— 4J. Bill aiul 

 feet black ; iris, dark sepia. 



1042, <? ad.; Salt Lake City, May 24, 1809. 4—5. Same remarks. 



1054, <? ad.; Salt Lake City, May 2G, 1S09. 4— 4| J. Same remarks. 



10(i4, iad.; Salt Lake City, May 29, 1809. 4— 4|;>. Same remarks. 



1272, 9 ad.; Parley's Park, June 23, 1809. 4i — 5^\.. (CaugUt iu a teut tluriag a 

 bard sliower.) 



1311, Sad.; Parley's Park, June 28, 1809. 4. 



•In Gould's Introdndion to the Trochilidcrlpn^c 20), it is stated that certain Sontli 

 American Ilunimin}:;-Birds adjust the eqiiililiriuni of their nests by weighting the 

 lighter side with a small stone or bit of bard earth I 



