STOEIES ABOUT BIRDS. 45 



diately filled a small vial with sugar and water, 

 and fed it. It soon learned to help itself from 

 the vial, which the old gentleman kept sus- 

 pended from a button-hole of his coat. It 

 manifested the greatest affection for its bene- 

 factor, and would perch upon his hat, shoulder, 

 or extended finger, without fear. As soon as 

 it recovered sufficient strength, he opened the 

 door and set it at liberty. But it did not 

 forget its kind friend ; it would return to him 

 frequently through the day. The old gentle- 

 man was in the habit of retiring up stairs after 

 dinner, to take his siesta. The little bird 

 would go from room to room, in search of 

 him, and not finding him below, would go up 

 stairs, and continue its search until it found 

 him. After making its meal from the vial, it 

 would perch upon its protector, wipe its bill, 

 and after resting awhile, fly off to the fields. 

 This intimacy continued unabated for some 

 time ; but the cat at last put an end to it by 

 making a meal of the little bird. Uncle Peter 

 heaved a sigh, as he related the sad end of his 

 little favorite." 



Somewhere, in the course of my reading, I 

 once found a story of a family of humming birds 

 which a man captured when they were quite 

 5^oung, and which became remarkably tame. 



