BIRDS OF BRILLIANT FEATHERS. 



utters a short, nervous " chip, chip," as though he 

 were not quite sure that some one would not take 

 advantage of his position and catch him by the tail. 



There is no bird that can build a nest as soft and 

 beautiful as that of the humming bird. It is a tiny 

 affair, about an inch and a quarter broad inside, lined 

 with bits of cotton, soft hairs, and moss, and covered 

 outside with patches of lichens. The nest usually 

 contains two white, pearly eggs (I believe the hum- 

 ming bird never lays more than two). It is a curious 

 fact that it is most frequently planted solidly on a 

 good-sized horizontal bough, and looks more like a 

 lichen-covered excrescence on the latter than it does 

 like a bird's nest. 



The little ruby throat is not as wild and timid as 

 might be supposed. If we are patient and quiet he 

 will often perch very near us, and if we have a 

 bunch of flowers in our hand, make bold enough to 

 approach and help himself to their sweets. 



It is nonsense to suppose that only a few possess 

 the knack of becoming the intimate friends of wild 

 birds and animals ; if there is such a thing as a gift of 

 this nature it is a very commonplace, practical one, 

 composed of tact and patience rather than sentiment. 

 The squirrel will run across our toes if it suits his 

 convenience, and the bird will take crumbs from our 

 hand if he is hungry enough ; all depends upon our 



