BI-RB, 309 



beautiful little creature admits of six or seven varie- 

 ties, distinguished by successive gradations, from the, 

 size of the wren to that of the humble-bee.. It is, 

 however, furnished with a bill, with wings, and all' 

 the other ordinary appendages of the larger species. 



The smallest of this species is not larger than a 

 hazel nut. Its wings and tail are black; but the fea- 

 thers under the wings arc of a greenish brown, with a 

 fnie red cast, and bear a gloss which no silk or velvet 

 can equal. On its head it has a small golden crest, 

 which sparkles in the sun with all the brilliancy of a 

 star: the bill is straight and slender, and about the 

 length of a small sized pin. The large humming 

 bird is not half so big as our wren. It is not adorned 

 with a gilded crest; but from the throat half way 

 down the belly its crimson-coloured feathers are 

 beautiful beyond conception, and vary according to 

 the reflections of the light. The head of the hum-, 

 mjng biid is exceedingly small, and its round eyes 

 are as black as ebony. 



Imagination can scarcely conceive how much the 

 numerous tribes of this diminutive species enliven 

 and embellish a transatlantic landscape. As soon as 

 the >sun appears above the horizon, humming birds of 

 different kinds and various sizes are seen, fluttering 

 incessantly about the flowers' which the country pro- 

 duces in abundance. The rapid motion of their wings 

 renders it impossible to distinguish their colours, 

 which seem blended in one general effulgence, and 

 produce a kind of humming sound, from which their 

 name is derived.- Their sole food appears to be the 

 honey which they extract from the flowers; and for 

 the purpose of procuring this kind of aliment, Nature 

 has provided them with forked tongues, completely 

 formed for entering the cups, and drawing forth th 

 jpectareous juices. 



The nes^s of these birds are, like themselves, a na- 

 tural curiosity. They are curiously suspended from, 

 the very point of a twig, and are thus secure from 

 the assaults of the monkey or the snake. They are 

 fomied of the fine fibres oi vegetables carefully com- 



