THE HUMMING BIRDS. 271 



ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES. 



Humming Birds are so distinct from other birds in their external 

 structure and manner of flight that they present in every respect, ex- 

 cept when at rest, an appearance entirely peculiar to themselves. They 

 spend perhaps the greater part of their time upon the wing, usually 

 hov^eringor balancing themselves before a flower from which they are 

 procuring their sustenance of honey or minute insects. At such time the 

 body is nearly vertical or inclined at a slight angle, the head bent nearly 

 at right angles with the axis of the body, the wings spread nearly at 

 right angles with the same axis, but vibrated so rapidly that they are 

 visible only as an indistinct haze on each side of the body of the bird. 

 While in this position the tail is spread, and with it the bird largely, 

 regulates its distance from the flower by flirting the tail forward, or 

 the reverse, when it wishes to recede or advance, respectively. 



While restiu;^ they usually select a slender dead twig, in a prominent 

 or exposed portion of a bush or tree, where they sit in a nearly vertical 

 position, with head drawn down and feathers of the throat puffed out- 

 ward, something in the manner of swallows. The wings'nsually if not 

 invariably drop beneath the generally unspread tail. They are fond of 

 preening their plumage, and thus aftbrd a variety of graceful attitudes 

 for showing off particular parts of the plumage to advantage. Mr. 

 Audubon observes that they are particularly^ fond of spreading one 

 wing at a time and passing each of the quill feathers through their bill 

 in its whole length, when, if the sun is shining, the wing thus plumed is 

 rendered extremely transparent and light. Mr. Audubon also observes 

 that when perching " they move sidewise in prettily measured steps, 

 frequently opening and closing their wings, pluming, stroking, and ar- 

 ranging the whole of their apparel with neatness and activity." 



Comparatively few persons have had the opportunity to observe the 

 actions of the female Humming Bird when setting on her nest or when 

 maneuvering in its immediate vicinity. The following account of the 

 actions of a female Ruby-throat {Trochilus colubris) will therefore prob- 

 ably be of special interest : 



Althougli I spent several hours watcbiug this nest, on different occasions, no food 

 was brought at such times, but the actions of the female, as seen through a strong 

 field glass at short range, were decidedly interesting. The approach to the nest was 

 as usually described in about one-third of the records — i. e., directly to a i^oint over 

 and close to the nest, then dropping lightly into it. The general method, however, 

 was by a dashing flight to within 12 or 15 feet, a sudden pause while poised in the 

 air, anxiously looking about her, then 1 or 2 feet farther, another pause with the 

 same maneuvers, to be repeated until at last she dropped into the nest as ordinarily. 

 This entire procedure occupied less than 10 seconds. A few times she seemed to fly 

 directly into the nest without any preliminaries. 



Just after settling in the nest she had a habit of occasionally completely turning 

 around in it one or more times. This was a hitching motion, as if by the use of her 

 feet, meanwhile appearing to rearrange the material on the outside and as if shaping 

 the interior to her better satisfaction by this treading motion. At other times, spread- 



