SONOLESS BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 241 



may be seen buzzing a])out among the petals, with a sound 

 like that of huge l)ees. In ])ower of flight the Hunnner 

 surpasses all other birds. The little body, divested of its. 

 feathers, is no larger than the end of one's finger, but the 

 breast muscles which move the wings are enormous iu pro- 

 portion to the size of the bird. They form a large part of the 

 entire trunk, and their power is such that they can vibrate 

 the inch-long feathers of those' little wings with such rapidity 

 that the human eye can scarcel}' follow the bird when it is 

 moved to rapid flight by fear or passion. 



The Rul)v-throat is exceedin<>;ly puo-nacious in the nestins: 

 season. The males fight with one another, and, secure in 

 their unequalled powers of flight, they attack other and larger 

 birds. AVhen the Hummingbird says " Go ! " other birds stand 

 not upon the order of their going, but go at once ; while the 

 little warrior sometimes accelerates their flight, for his sharj) 

 beak is a weapon not to be despised. Even the Kingbird 

 goes when the warlike Hummer comes ; the "English" Spar- 

 row flees in terror ; onl}^ the Woodpeckers stand their ground. 

 When a person approaches the nest, the sharp squeaking or 

 chirping of the angry Hummer is sometimes followed by the 

 bird itself, for it has been known to dart at its human visitors. 

 It seems to have an aversion for the diurnal sphinx moths, or 

 "Hummingbird moths," as they are called, and frequently 

 drives them away from its favorite flowers. Audubon says it 

 is sometimes chased by " bumble " bees, but easily avoids them . 

 Miss Florence Merriam, quoting Mrs. Bagg, described a fierce 

 battle between Hummers and these laro-e bees, in which the 

 combatants on both sides foui!-ht until exhausted, tearinof to 

 pieces, in the mean time, the flowers among which they fought. 

 The bee, with its poisoned lance, must be a dangerous antag- 

 onist for so small a bird. 



The Hummingl)ird's nest, when newly built, with its two 



Later, Mr. Bailey found tliat tlie Theroiiias which he watclied invariably stung 

 pupae that were dead, and contained parasitic pupa?. Mr. F. H. Mosher has since 

 made observations wliich confirm those of Mr. Bailey. This may either indicate 

 that some one is in error, or it may be considered good ground for the hypothesis 

 that this Tlieronia may be at one time or place a primary parasite, and at another 

 a secondary parasite. If this is possible, it further comijlicates the relations be- 

 tween the Kingbird and the gipsy moth. 



