26 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 



^yi. O. \/. J<to,428. (Trochilaj colubia.) 



RANGE. 



In" Summer. — The whole of eastern North America east of the Mis- 

 sissippi, and as far north as southern Canada. 



In Winter. — Southern Florida and the West Indies to Panama. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, 3.25 inches; extent of wing, 5 inches; tail, 1.25 inches; eyes, 

 brown; feet, very small. 



iyiale. — Entire upper parts, metallic green; throat, brilliant metallic 

 crimson; tail, black, changing to a purplish color in certain lights; tail 

 feathers all narrow and pointed, and tail forked; sides of body, greenish; 

 below, white. 



Female. — Upper part same as male; no crimson on the throat; tail 

 rounded and outer three feathers broadly tipped with white. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



The nest is always placed on top of a branch, sometimes in vines, 

 apple -or pear trees, but more often in an oak or chestnut tree in the 

 woods. It is a beautiful, cup-shaped structure, composed of downy 

 fibres, and covered with lichens, which are fastened on with the saliva 

 of the bird. The eggs, which are laid from the last of May to the lat- 

 ter part of June, are two in number, white, and equally rounded at 

 both ends. 



HABITS. ^--.^'^ 



The humming-birds are one of over eight inches in length, or 



the most numerous of all species nearly as large as a robin, 

 of birds. They are an American The ruby-throat is the only one 



bird, and about four hundred of the number of humming-birds 



varieties are found on the two found in the United States that 



continents. They are literally lives east of the Mississippi river, 



gems, cut and polished, among It is known and admired by every 



the other birds. The throats, and one who is so fortunate as to have 



on some varieties the tops of the a flower garden, or who takes a 



heads, give forth all the fire of morning walk when the apple 



the ruby, emerald, sapphire and trees are in full bloom. It is 



opal. These little birds range in not at all timid, and unmindful of 



size from a tiny creature two your presence will dart here and 



and one-quarter inches to one there after its food, which does 



