224 Bird-keeping. 



tame with her, but she did not find him a very interest- 

 ing bird. 



"Vyhen I hear of any new birds imported into Eng- 

 land, I always hope that some day it may be found 

 possible to bring some of the beautiful little Humming 

 Birds into our aviaries. In conservatories where the 

 tropical plants which supply them with nectar have 

 been already introduced, it seems reasonable that they 

 might live, and the hindrance to keeping them in 

 England would not be their susceptibility to cold, I 

 think. Mr. Lord speaks of them as "in the very 

 regions of the Ice King," visiting the western slopes of 

 the Rocky Mountains early in spring, as soon as the 

 rivers opened, and asserts that some of the species 

 prefer rocky hill-sides at great altitudes, above the line 

 of perpetual snow. Many of them are constant visitors 

 to New York in the summer, and some have been kept 

 for a little time in captivity, fed on sugar, honey, and 

 water ; but they droop after being a fortnight without 

 insect food, and unless released then, and allowed to 

 go in search of the small spiders and other insects, 

 which seem absolutely necessary to them at certain 

 intervals, they die. Mr. Gosse attempted to keep them, 

 to rear them from the nest, etc., and found that they 

 were the most fearless little birds imaginable, ready 

 to take food from the hand and lips at once ; but al- 

 though such delightful pets in that respect, it was 

 impossible to preserve their lives without setting them 



