HUMMING-BIRDS. 207 



he caught did not flutter, or make the least attempt to escape, 

 but remained quietly in his hand ; and he saw, when he opened 

 it, the minute creature lying on his palm, perfectly motion- 

 less, feigning most skilfully to be dead; indeed, actually play- 

 ing '' 'possum." For some time he watched it with breath- 

 less curiosity, when he saw it gradually open its bright little 

 eyes to ascertain whether the way was clear, and then close 

 them slowly as it caught his glance upon it. When a mix- 

 ture of sugar, water, and honey was brought, and a drop 

 placed on the point of its bill, it came very suddenly to life, 

 and in a moment was on its legs, drinking with eager gusto 

 of the refreshing draught from a silver tea-spoon. 



The nest of the ruby-throat is of a most delicate nature ; 

 the external parts being formed of a little gray lichen found on 

 the branches of the trees, glued together by the saliva of the 

 bird, and neatly arranged rounid the whole of the nest, as well 

 as to some- distance from the spot where it is attached to the 

 branch or stem itself The interior is lined with a cottony sub- 

 stance ; and the innermost, with the silky fibres obtained from 

 various plants. Within this little nest the female humming- 

 bird lays two white and nearly oval eggs ; generally raising 

 two broods in the season. In one week, says Audubon, the 

 young are ready to fly, but are fed by the parents for nearly 

 another week. They receive their food direct from the bill of 

 their parents, who disgorge it in the manner of canaries and 

 pigeons. It is my belief that no sooner are the young able 

 to 43rovide for themselves than the}^ associate with other 

 broods, and perform their migrations apart from the old birds, 

 as I have observed twenty or thiity young humming-birds 

 resort to a group of trumpet-flowers, when not a single old 

 bird Avas to be seen. 



