LOCAL DISTRIBtTTlUB. 3 



and powerful movement, totally different from 

 that vibratory one common to most of the spe- 

 cies, which produces the humming noise. I 

 never saw any other bird in which the force of 

 the wings appeared (as in a butterfly), so power- 

 ful in proportion to the weight of the body. 

 "When hovering by a flower, its tail is constantly 

 expanded and shut like a fan, the body being 

 kept in a nearly vertical position. This action 

 (of the tail) appears to steady and support the 

 bird, between the slow movements of its wings. 

 Although flying from flower to flower in search 

 of food, its stomach generally contained abundant 

 remains of insects, which I suspect are much 

 more the object of its search than honey is. 

 The note of this species, like that of nearly the 

 whole family, is extremely shrill." 



As we have already said, the TROCHILTJS GI- 

 GAS is very swift -like in its general contour. 



Audubon supposes, from his own observations, 

 that the migratory movements of the Humming- 

 birds are performed during the night. Speaking 

 of the ruby-throated species, he says, " I have 

 seen these birds in Louisiana as early as the 10th 

 of March. Their appearance in that State varies, 

 however, as much as in any other, it being some- 

 times a fortnight later, or, although rarely, a few 

 days earlier. In the middle districts, they sel- 

 dom arrive before the 15th of April, more usually 

 the beginning of May. I have not been able to 



