222 HUMMING-BIRDS. 



received its popular name. These wattles are of moderate length, and of a blood-red 

 colour, producing a most singular effect as they hang down the sides of the neck. The 

 general colour of the upper surface is light brown, relieved by a white streak along the 

 centre of each feather ; the wings are also brown, excepting that the primary quill-feathers 

 are white at their extremities, and the secondaries are tipped with grey. Under each eye 

 there is a patch of white. The throat and breast are of a light greyish brown, covered 

 with multitudinous little longitudinal white streaks, and the centre of the abdomen is 

 yellow. The tail feathers are tipped with white on the under surface, and the tail is 

 black. 



Another species belonging to the same genus is worthy of a passing notice, although 

 it possesses some of the habits of the brush wattle bird. This is the Yellow Wattle 

 Honey-eater {Anthochcera inawis), a bird which may readily be distinguished from the 

 preceding species by the golden yellow colour of its wattles, and the greater length and 

 more handsome appearance of the tail, which is covered on its under surface with bold 

 bands of black and white. 



Instead of tlie semi-solitary life led by the brush wattle bird, this species is 

 partially gregarious in its character, assembling in large flocks of thirty or forty in 

 number upon one tree, and traversing its branches with amazing celerity. The voice of 

 this bird is loud, harsh, and screaming, and it is very fond of exercising its vocal powers, 

 so that the proximity of a flock of the noisy creatures is not very agreeable to a person 

 endowed with sensitive ears. In the winter months it thrives wonderfully, and becomes a 

 perfect ball of fat, the accumulation of this substance being so great that half a tea-cup 

 full of pure oil is often extracted from a single bird. This oil is peculiarly soft and limpid, 

 and is very useful for lamps, as it gives a better light than can be obtained from caudles. 

 This state of obesity does not, however, last for any long continuance, and after the 

 breeding season it gradually disappears until the bird becomes as remarkable for its 

 emaciated condition as it was formerly for its extreme corpulence. 



There are many other species of Honey-eaters ; but the habits of all are so similar, that 

 the examples already given must suftice in a work of such dimensions. 



4 



HUMMING-BIRDS OR TROCHILID^. 



" Bright Humming-bird of gem-like plumeletage. 

 By western Iudiiiu.9 ' Liviiig-Suubeam ' named." — Bailey, Mystic. 



The wonderful little Humming-birds are only found in America and the adjacent 

 islands, where they take the place of the sun-birds of the Old World. It is rather 

 remarkable that, as yet, no Humming-birds have been discovered in Australia. 



These little winged gems are most capricious iu their choice of locality, some being 

 spread over a vast range of country, while otliers are confined within the limit of a narrow 

 belt of earth hardly more than a few hundred yards iu width, and some refuse to 

 roam beyond the narrow precincts of a single mountain. Some of these bii'ds are furnished 

 with comparatively short and feeble wings, and, in consequence, are obliged to remain in 

 the same land throughout the year, while others are strong of flight, and migrate over 

 numerous tracts of country. They gather most thickly in Mexico and about tlie equator, 

 the number of species diminishing rapidly as they recede from the equatorial line. 



The name of Humming-birds is given to them on account of the humming or buzzing 

 sound which they produce with their wings, especially while they are hovering in their 

 curious fashion over a tempting blossom, and feeding on its contents while suspended iu 

 air. This name is so appropriate that it holds good in other languages, and expressive 



