168 



HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



and intestines, exactly resembling those of the 

 largest 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 



the humming-bird is mainly instrumental in procuring 

 food, is capable of being protruded to a considerable 

 distance, as we see in the wryneck, woodpecker, &c. 

 Audubon says, that the double-tubed tongue of the 

 humming-bird is covered with a glutinous saliva, so 

 that the insect adheres to it when touched ; hence the 

 bird has only to dart its tongue at its prey, and retract 

 it into its mouth. 



Diminutive as they are. these beautiful creatures are 

 bold and intrepid, and defend their nests against intru- 

 ders with the greatest spirit. Their powers of flight 

 give them every advantage in these aerial combats over 

 birds much larger than themselves, at whose eyes they 

 tilt with their sharp-pointed beak, uttering, at the same 

 time, a shrill piercing shriek. Two males seldom meet 

 without a battle: and while the female is sitting her 

 mate attacks indiscriminately every bird that approaches, 

 exhibiting the utmost fury. The nest of the humming- 

 bird varies in different species. We have seen some 

 built on the branch of a tree, others attached to the ex- 

 treme twigs, so as to wave in the breeze. The mate- 

 rials with which they are constructed are for the most 

 part, the cotton or down of various plants, beautifully 

 interwoven ; some species add an outside layer of moss 

 or lichen. It appears that the number of eggs laid by 

 the female is usually two, and their colour pure white. 



That these beautiful and elegant birds should not be 

 kept in captivity will not surprise those who know the 

 difficulty of preserving them, even in their own regions, 

 for any length of time, in imprisonment. Several at- 

 tempts have, however, been made; and, on one occa- 

 sion, two nestlings of a species termed the Mango hum- 

 ming-bird were actually brought alive to England, and 

 lived for a short time in the possession of Lady Ham- 

 mond ; they were very docile, and fed on honey, but we 

 do not know whether insects were offered them or not. 

 Audubon states that he has seen many humming-birds 

 in partial confinement ; and that, when fed with honey 

 or syrup exclusively, they soon died in a state of emacia- 

 tion, but that, when duly supplied with fresh flowers 

 (abounding with insects), and surrounded with gauze- 

 netting, through which insects could enter, they lived 

 in health and were active. Indeed, he mentions an in- 

 stance in which several were thus kept for the space of 

 twelve months, when they were restored to liberty, the 

 person who attended to them having a long voyage to 

 perform. 



" I remember," says a correspondent of the Maga- 

 zine of Natural History, " a pair of these beautiful little 

 creatures busily building a nest in the branch of an 

 orange-tree, which was close to the outer side of the 

 open piazza of a house in Spanish Town, Jamaica : in 

 this apartment, situated on the north side of the house, 

 the family breakfasted and lunched. I spent three days 

 there ; and, while taking my meals, had at least an 

 equal treat, in seeing these smallest of the feathered 

 tribes gaily and actively employed in their building 

 process. I have now in my possession a nest of the bee 

 humming bird, which I removed from the end of a 

 mango-tree (Mangiferia indica), which was not a foot 

 above my head, and close to the door of a dwelling- 

 house. I cannot quit this article without speaking of the 

 delight that was afforded me, in Jamaica, by seeing 

 humming-birds feeding on honey, in the florets of the 

 great aloe (Agave americana, L.) On the side of a 

 hill upon Sutton's estate were a considerable number of 

 aloe plants, of which about a dozen were in full blossom. 

 They were spread over a space of about twenty yards 



butterflies in a summer's day, sporting in 

 the fields of America, from flower to flower, 

 and extracting their sweets with its little 

 bill. 



The smallest humming-bird is about the 



square. The spikes bearing bunches of flowers in a 

 thyrsus, were from twelve to fifteen feet high ; on each 

 spike were many hundred flowers, of a bright yellow 

 colour, each floret of a tubular shape, and containing a 

 good-sized drop of honey. Such an assemblage of floral 

 splendour was in itself most magnificent and striking; 

 but it may be imagined how much the interest caused 

 by this beautiful exhibition was increased, by vast num- 

 bers of humming-birds, of various species, fluttering at 

 the opening of the flowers, and dipping their bills, first 

 into one floret, and then into another the sun, as 

 usual, shining bright upon their varied and beautiful 

 plumage." 



The following cut represents the Bar-tailed Hum- 

 ming-bird. 



This splendid species seems to have been first noticed 

 by Dr Shaw, in his General Zoology, and figured from 

 a specimen in Bullock's museum. It is most remark- 

 able for the splendid colouring and development of its 

 tail, which Lesson compares to that of the New Holland 

 menura. It is composed of ten broad feathers, gradually 

 exceeding each other by about half an inch, three quar- 

 ters, &c., and the last by above one inch and a half 

 longer than the others. The colour may be said to be a 

 brilliant reddish orange, with a brazen or metallic lustre 

 of the greatest clearness, according to the various lights 

 in which it is placed assuming a greater tinge of red or 

 yellow. The tip of .each feather has a broad black bar, 

 and the lower part of the web of the outer feather is of 

 the same colour. When the tail is closed, the appear- 

 ance is as if regularly barred with black. The upper 

 parts of the plumage are of a golden green, except the 

 ump, which is of a fine madder tint, but without any 

 metallic lustre. The feathers upon this part are more 

 tufted, and thicker than usual. The whole of the under 

 surface, as far as the upper part of the belly, is of a 

 bright emerald green, brightest on the fore part of the 

 throat. The lower belly is dull brownish green, the 

 vent whitish. Lesson has represented another state of 

 this bird, which he thinks is that of the female. All the 

 upper parts are of a uniform green. The throat and 

 breast, instead of the emerald-coloured scaly gorget, are 

 of a dull yellowish gray, which colour occupies also the 



