12 INTRODUCTORY. 



swells, and his wings expand to their fullest 

 extent, and he looks like a little fury. He 

 gives battle to the intruder, and the two 

 birds fight desperately, until one of them 

 falls to the ground exhausted, and so ends 

 the conflict. 



I am afraid the Humming-Bird is a 

 very passionate little fellow. He will 

 even go into a rage with a flower that does 

 not please him, or has not so much honey 

 in it as he expected ; and then he tears it 

 to pieces, and scatters it with his bill and 

 claws. 



Perhaps the best part of his character 

 comes out when he is helping his little 

 partner to build their nest. He brings 

 her all the materials, and flies about col- 

 lecting them with the greatest industry. 

 The tiny nest is generally hung to the end 

 of a twig of the orange or pomegranate 

 tree, and is completely hidden by one of 



