THE EUBY-THEOATED HUMMINGBIRD. 195 



live long- in captivity. Soinetliiug seems t(i be lacking, probably the re([uired 

 quantity of insects which they are able to obtain in a wild state, and sirup alone 

 does not appear to enable theni to survive such changed conditions for any 

 length of time. All of our Hummingbirds are very fond of bathing, and I 

 have seen one fly repeatedly tlu'ough the spray of a fountain in one of tlie 

 numerous parks in Washington, District of Columbia. 



Mr. Otto Widraann, of Old Orchard, Missouri, has kindly furnislied me 

 with the following notes on tliis species: 



"While in the St. Francis region, Missouri, I was not a little surprised to 

 meet, on the forenoon of May 10, a great number of Ruby-throats in the garb 

 of the female, but with beautiful red throats, in shape exactly like the })atch of 

 the male, but the color a plain solferino, without any metallic or golden hue. At 

 first I did not know what to make of it, until I found out that the pollen of 

 ^■Esciilns ji(iri((, the red shrul) buckeye, is of the identical color and stains tlie 

 fingers witli solferino at the touch. These Rub}'-throats were a wandering army 

 of females; among the large number of birds present oidy a few (one or two, I 

 think) males were seen, and they were probably summer sojoiniicrs in tliese 

 woods. Next day I visited tlie same forest again at the same hour, but all the 

 female Hummers were gone. 



"The first Hummers appear in 8t. Louis Countv aljout the last week in 

 April, but in southeast Missouri (Pemiscot County) I found them alread\' present 

 on April 11, 1893. Male Hummers do not become numerous in St. Louis 

 County before May 5, and females alxiut May 1"2. Fresh eggs are to be looked 

 for about the 1st of June. Southward migration is Avell under way by the 

 middle of September, when Hummers are very plentiful. After the 1st of Octo- 

 ber they are less frequently seen, l)ut the last ones do not leave us before 

 October 11 or 12. Migration in this species has much in common with that of 

 the Swift, from which fact I conclude that their insect food may be somewhat 

 similar, and that Ijoth species may feed on nearly related insects. A peculiarity 

 of the Ruby-throat, which I have only once seen mentioned in print, is the pendu- 

 lum play of the male Hummer. Li time it coincides with the period of sexual 

 excitement; it begin.s here about May 12, with the arrival of the bulk of the 

 females, and lasts until incubation has connnenced. In this play the bird is 

 swinging to and fro, as if suspended from a fixed point; it describes one-fourth 

 of a circle, and travels aliout a rod This pendulum movement is continued 

 about a dozen times, the bird emitting chirps all the time." 



Shortly after their arrival in the sjiring' thev are continualh' chasing each 

 other al)Out; considerable of this is undoidjtedly done in plav, but occasionally 

 they act like perfect little furies, and try to injure each other as much as pos- 

 sible. At such times they utter rather shrill, squealing sounds, like "chic-we- 

 we-a," which are frequently and rapidly repeated; at other times they utter 

 low, chippering sounds that can only be heard when close by, intermixed now 

 and then with a somewhat louder chirj). After one has driven its ri^■al away it 

 generally returns to one of its favorite ])ei'ches, some little dr\ twig of a shrub 

 or tree, from whei'e it commands a good outlook, and commences at once to 



