HUMMINGBIRDS. 241 



ture in flowers, but many species catch insects on the wing or pick 

 thein from beneath leaves. They also feed on the juices of flowers. 

 All the species whose nesting habits are known lay two white eggs. 



Strangely enough, these beautiful little creatures are possessed of a 

 most unfortunate disposition which frequently leads them to attack 

 any bird they fancy is trespassing on their domain. They know no 

 fear, and with equal courage rush at one of their kind or a passing 

 Hawk. 



428. Trochilus colubris {Linn.). Euby-throated Hummingbird. 



(See Fig. 40.) Ad. ,5.— Upper parts bright, sliining green; wings and tail 

 fuscous, with purplish reflections ; throat beautiful metallic ruby-red, bor- 

 dered on the breast by whitish ; rest of the under parts dusky, washed with 

 greenish on the sides. Ad. $ . — Similar, but without ruby-red on the throat. 

 Int. — Similar to the female, but with the upper parts more bronzy. L., 3-7-i ; 

 W., 1-54 ; T., 1-15 ; B., 67. 



Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from Florida to Labrador; win- 

 ters from southern Florida to Central America. 



Washington, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. E., 

 Apl. 30 to Oct. 3. Cambridge, uncommon S. E., May 12 to Sept. 



Nest.^ of plant down, covered externally with lichens and firmly wound 

 with almost invisible plant fibers ; generally fifteen to twenty-five feet from 

 the ground, saddled on a limb, Eggs.^ two, white, -50 x -35. 



The Ruby-throat needs no song. Its beauty gives it distinction, 

 and its wings make music. Its only note, so far as I know, is a 

 squeak, expressive of distrust or excitement. It has no rival in eastern 

 North America, and is to be confounded with nothing but sphinx (hum- 

 mingbird) moths. One hears of " Hummingbirds " seen in the evening 

 about flower beds. The mistake is not unnatural, and a correction is 

 sometimes received with incredulity. The birds spend but a com- 

 paratively small part of the time upon the wing. Whoever watches a 

 female busy about her nest will see her constantly perching here and 

 there in certain branches of the tree, preening her plumage and look- 

 ing about her. The male, at the same season, forgetful, to all appear- 

 ance, of his conjugal and parental duties, may be found at home day 

 after day on a dead twig in some tall tree, where he sits so constantly 

 as to make the observer wonder what he can be about, and when, if 

 ever, he takes his food. Further investigation, however, will show 

 that he makes frequent and regular rounds of favorite feeding places. 

 A tall blueberry bush, for example, will be visited at short intervals 

 as long as the observer has patience to stand beside it. The Hum- 

 mingbird is curiously fearless. Sometimes one will probe a flower 

 held in the hand, and when they fly into houses, as they pretty often 

 do, they manifest but the smallest degree of suspicion, and will feed 

 almost at once upon sugar held between the lips. The old bird feeds 

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