229 



Father Labat's companion, in the mission to Ame- 

 rica, found the nest of a humming-bird, and took it 

 in, at a time when the young ones were about fifteen 

 or twenty days old ; he placed them in a cage at his 

 chamber window ; but he was soon surprised to see 

 the old ones, that came and fed their brood regularly 

 every hour in the day. By these means they themselves 

 soon grew so tame, that they seldom quitted the 

 chamber; but without any constraint, came to live 

 with their young ones. 



All four hare frequently come to perch upon their 

 master's hand, chirruping as if they had been at li- 

 berty, lie fed them with a fine clear paste, made of 

 wine, biscuit, and sugar. They thrust their tongues 

 into this paste, till they were satisfied, and then 

 fluttered and chirruped about the room. 1 never be- 

 held any thing more agreeable, continues he, than 

 this lovely little family, that had taken possession of 

 my companion's chamber, and that flew out and in just 

 as they thought proper ; but were ever attentive to 

 the voice of their master when he called them. In 

 this manner they lived with him for above six months, 

 but, at a time when he expected to see a new colony, 

 he unfortunately forgot to tie up their cage to the 

 ceiling at night> to preserve them from the rats, and 

 he found they were devoured in the morning. 



Even Vultures are in Egypt of singular service. 

 There are great flocks of them in the neighbourhood 

 of Grand Cairo, which no person is permitted to de- 

 stroy. The service they render the inhabitant?, is 

 the devouring the carrion and filth of that great 

 city, which might otherwise corrupt and putrify the 

 air. They are commonly seen in company -with the 

 Mild dogs of the country, tearing a carcase very d.cr 

 liberately together. This odd association produces no 

 quarrels; the beasts and birds live amicably, and 

 nothing but harmony subsists between them, 



The wonder is still the greater, as both are ex- 

 tremely rapacious, and both lean and bony to a yery 



