THE SPARROW KIND. 



549 



that the most exquisite artist is incapable of 

 imitating. They, for instance, who imagine 

 they have a complete idea of the beauty of 

 the little tribe of manikin birds, from the pic- 

 tures we have of them, will find themselves 

 deceived, when they compare their draughts 

 with nature. The shining greens, the change- 

 able purples, arid the glossy reds, are be- 

 yond the reach of the pencil; and very far 

 beyond the coloured print, which is but a 

 poor substitute to painting. I have there- 

 fore declined entering into a minute descrip- 

 tion of foreign birds of the sparrow kind; 

 as sounds would never convey an adequate 

 idea of colours. 



There is one species, however, that I will 

 conclude the history of this class with; as, 

 though the least, it will certainly be allowed 

 the most beautiful of all others. In quadru- 

 peds, the smallest animals are noxious, ugly, 

 and loathsome ; the smallest of birds are the 

 most beautiful, innocent, and sportive. Of all 

 those that flutter in the garden, or paint the 

 landscape, the humming-bird is the most de- 

 lightful to look upon, and the most inoffen- 

 sive. 



Of this charming little animal, there are 

 six or seven varieties, from the size of a small 

 wren, down to that of an humble-bee. An Eu- 

 ropean could never have supposed a bird ex- 

 is'i.'ig so very small, and yet completely fur- 

 nished out with a bill, feathers, wings, and in- 

 testines, exactly resembling those of the lar- 

 gest kind. A bird not so big as the end of 

 one's little finger, would probably be supposed 

 but a creature of imagination, were it not seen 

 in infinite numbers, and as frequent as butter- 

 flies in a summer's day, sporting in the fields 

 of America, from flower to flower, and ex- 

 tracting their sweets with its little bill. 



The smallest humming-bird is about the 

 size of a hazel-nut. The feathers on its wings 

 and tail are black ; but those on its body, and 

 under its wings, are of a greenish brown, 

 with a fine red cast, or gloss, which no silk 

 or velvet can imitate. It has a small crest 

 on its head, green at the bottom, and, 

 as it were, gilded at the top; and which 

 sparkles in the sun like a little star in the 

 middle of its forehead. The bill is black, 

 straight, slender, and of the length of a small 

 pin. The larger humming-bird is near half 



as big as the common wren, and without a 

 crest on its head ; but, to make amends, it is 

 covered, from the throat half way down the 

 belly, with changeable crimson-coloured fea- 

 thers, that, in different lights, change to a 

 variety of heautiful colours, much like an 

 opal. The heads of both are small, with very 

 little round eyes, as black as jet. 



It is inconceivable how much these add to 

 the high finishing and beauty of a rich luxu- 

 rious western landscape. As soon as the 

 sun is risen, the humming-birds, of different 

 kinds, are seen fluttering about the flowers, 

 without ever lighting upon them. Their 

 wings are in such rapid motion, that it is im- 

 possible to discern their colours, except by 

 their glittering. They are never still, but 

 continually in motion, visiting flower after 

 flower, and extracting its honey as if with a 

 kiss. For this purpose they are furnished 

 with a forky tongue, that enters the cup of 

 the flower, and extracts its nectared tribute. 

 Upon this alone they subsist. The rapid mo- 

 tion of their wings brings out a humming 

 sound, from whence they have their name; 

 for whatever divides the air swiftly, must 

 thus produce a murmur. 



The nests of these birds are not less curi- 

 ous than the rest ; they are suspended in the 

 air, at the point of the twigs of an orange, a 

 pomegranate, or a citron-tree ; sometimes 

 even in houses, if they find a small and con- 

 venient twig for the purpose. The female is 

 the architect, while the male goes in quest of 

 materials; such as cotton, fine moss, and the 

 fibres of vegetables. Of these materials a 

 nest is composed, of about the size of a hen's 

 egg cut in two, admirably contrived, and 

 warmly lined with cotton. They lay two 

 eggs at a time, and never more, about the 

 size of small peas, and as white as snow, with 

 here and there a yellow speck. The male 

 and the female sit upon the nest by turns; 

 but the female takes to herself the greatest 

 share. She seldom quits the nest, except a 

 few minutes in the morning and evening, 

 when the dew is upon the flowers, and their 

 honey in perfection. During this short in- 

 terval, the male takes her place ; for, as the 

 egg is so small, the exposing it ever so short 

 a time to the weather, would be apt to injure 

 its contents, the surface exposed being so 



4K* 



