BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 24i 



deep, dark forest which borders that beautiful lake. I appre- 

 hend that esthetics have much less to do with the question 

 where the chimney swallows stay, than does the quality and 

 quantity of their insect supply for consumption. The nest is 

 a prodigy of strength and construction against the elements. 

 It consists of bits of roots and dry twigs, effectually cemented 

 together with an animal secretion of the salivary glands of the 

 bird, and is glued with the same onto the side of the bricks. 

 The eggs, four to five in number, are the purest of white. The 

 departure of the species varies from September 1st to the 25th; 

 the last record in 1886 was October 5th, which was unpre- 

 cedented in their local history. They are reported from every 

 part of the State as abundantly represented. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Tail short, slightly rounded, the shafts stiffened and extended 

 some distance beyond the feathers in a rigid spine; first pri- 

 mary longest; legs covered by a naked skin, without any 

 scutellse or feathers; tarsus longer than middle toe; lateral 

 toes equal, nearly as long as middle; hind toe scarcely versa- 

 tile, or quite posterior, with the claw, less than the middle 

 anterior without it; toes slender, claws moderate; feathers of 

 the bill not extending beyond the beginning of the nostrils. 

 Of a sooty brown all over except on the throat, which becomes 

 considerably lighter from the breast to the bill; above with a 

 2:reenish tinge; the rump a little paler. 



Length. 5.25; wing, 5.10; tail, 2.15. 



Habitat. Eastern North America. 



Family TROCHILID^. 



TROCHILUS COLITBMS (L.) (428). 



RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD. 



This is the only representative of the hummingbirds which 

 even straggles into the State so far as I am aware. It arrives 

 about the 20th of May,— somewhat earlier in an occasional 

 season, and semi-occasionally even five days later, and begins 

 at once to build its pigmy but beautiful nest, which, however, 

 is not made completely ready for occupation until the first 

 week in June. It is a marvel of bird architecture, consisting of 

 vegetable down of different shades of color, mixed with fine 

 scales of buds to make it firm, and elegantly overlaid with 

 lichens, thus making it assimilate irregular growths of wood. 

 It is usually saddled into a projecting limb of a bush, or shrub, 



