284 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



nation npou a brauch of a sycaiuoro, which iucliucd at an angle of 45 degrees. It was 

 about 12 feet from the grountl, ou the lowest brauch (a deail one), with no foliage 

 whatever to aft'ord concealment, and could be readily seen from a distance of GO to 75 

 feet in any direction. 



The old nest is much the worse for wear, having passed through at least one winter ; 

 the new one was built partly ou one edge of this and partly on the adjoining branch, 

 leaving- fully one-half of the distorted cavity at the base exposed. The entire ex- 

 ternal surface of both is covered in the usual way with lichens, although not in any 

 way resembling the smooth, mottled surfaces adjoining. It would seem that the 

 scenes of bygone associations have some permanent attractions, even though com- 

 paratively barren to our eyes. 



While, as a rule, but little attempt is made at concealment by hiding it 

 behind foliage in the nsnal manner of most birds, so mnch does the nest 

 of the average Humming Bird' resemble some natural excrescence or bit 

 of rubbish that it might easily pass undetected. In fact, most Humming 

 Birds' nests which are discovered are found by accident or by carefully 

 watching the movements of the birds wlien they are suspected to have 

 anestin the vicinity; and all that the writer has found, with perhaps two 

 or three exceptions, were discovered by accidentally brushing against 

 the bnsh or branch on which it was located, causing the parent to hastily 

 fly out and thus betraying its proximity. 



The eggs of Humming Birds are nniversally only two in number 

 and immaculate white in color, though, according to Mr. Gould, there 

 is " one supposed exception, namely, that of a species inhabiting the 

 upper Amazon, which, according to Mr. Edwards, lays a spotted egg." 

 But there can be little doubt that this supposed exception does not in 

 reality exist, the egg of some small Passerine bird having been wrongly 

 identified as that of a Humming Bird. "^ 



The eggs of Humming Birds are large in comparison to the bird which 

 lays them ; in form they are usually oblong, or nearly alike at both 

 ends, though sometimes one end is a little smaller than the other ; the 

 color, even when freshly laid, is a nearly dead pure white, the compar- 

 ative thickness of the shell preventing that pinkish glow so frequently 

 seen in eggs of small Passerine birds. 



According to Mr. Gould two broods are produced in a season, the 

 period of incubation occupying 12 to 14, or according to Captain Lyon, 

 18 days. 



VOICE. 



The voice of Humming Birds, as a rule, is of a twittering character, 

 not conspicuous for loudness or any other quality, and may be compared 

 with the vocal utterances of the Swifts better pefhaps than those of any 

 other group of birds. The notes are of course varied to a degree, accord- 

 ing to the mood of the bird which utters them, anger, pleasure, and 

 alarm each calling forth its peculiar expression. Some species are said 

 to possess a song, but it is doubtful if any a^-proach more nearly to a 

 song than a sort of warbling twitter, which the males of many kinds 

 produce during the pairing season. Mr. Gosse says that tlie Vervain 



