96 PBESEKYATION IN CAPTIVITY. 



breast, and die, usually without any convulsive 

 struggle. 



Mr. Grosse was not, however, always so un- 

 successful. On one occasion, in November, he 

 captured two young males, while they were 

 sucking the pretty pink flowers of Urena lobata. 

 These were brought home in a covered basket, 

 and not caged, but turned into an open room. 

 They were lively, but not wild, playful towards 

 each other, and so tame and fearless as to come 

 and sit on the finger. A few flowers were col- 

 lected and placed in a vase on a high shelf, and 

 to these they resorted immediately; but to none 

 did they pay any attention except to Asclepia^ 

 curassavica, and slightly to a large Ipomea. On 

 seeing this, Mr. G-osse went out, and gathered 

 a large bunch of Asclepias. " I was pleased," 

 he says, " to observe that, on the moment of my 

 entering the room, one flew to the nosegay and 

 sucked while I held it in my hand. The other 

 soon followed, and then both these lovely crea- 

 tures were buzzing together within an inch of 

 my face, probing the flowers so eagerly, as to 

 allow their bodies to be touched without alarm/' 

 These flowers were placed in another glass, and 

 the birds visited each bouquet in turn, now and 

 then flying playfully after each other through 

 the room. Occasionally they flew against the 

 window, but did not flutter or beat them- 

 selves against it. As they thus flew about, 

 the snap of their beak was frequently heard, 



