HONEYSUCKERS AND TAILOR-BIRDS 129 



pair of them courting ; hopping about lightly from 

 twig to twig in their sprightly way, calling cheerfully 

 to one another, and jerking and flapping their little 

 wings about. They are almost the only birds who 

 are not, for the time being, subdued by persistently 

 heavy rain, and, even throughout a tropical down- 

 pour, they go on fussing and twittering around in 

 perfect unconcern. Their food consists mainly of 

 small insects and of the nectar of many different 

 kinds of flowers, and whilst securing it they often 

 hang hovering for a time on rapidly quivering wings. 

 When hunting for insects among pensile leaves, 

 such as these of Cassia sumatrana, they grasp 

 them with their strong feet, and hang suspended 

 and swinging, very often head downwards ; and, when 

 dealing with trumpet-shaped or tubular flowers, they 

 either alight on neighbouring twigs within reach of 

 the mouths of the corollas, or hang hovering in front 

 of them prying into and rifling the depths with 

 their long, slender, curved beaks. The curious 

 narrow tubular flowers of Hamelia patens are 

 very special favourites, owing to the large store of 

 nectar in their lower ends ; and during the whole 

 time that the shrubs are in flower they are sure 

 to be alive with honeysuckers every morning. In 

 this, and doubtless in many other cases, they seem 

 to play a very important part in securing cross- 

 fertilisation ; for, by the help of a field-glass, one 

 can clearly see that every time their bills are with- 



i 



