244 THE HUMMING-BIRD. 



under water in a total inactive and torpid state ; and, 

 as a proof of it, declare they have seen them taken 

 from under sheets of ice. 



OF THE HUMMING-BIRD AND ITS VARIETIES. 



Of this charming little animal there are six or seven 

 varieties, from the size of a small wren clown to that of 

 an humble-bee ; yet it is famished with bill, feathers, 

 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 imagina- 

 tion, were it not seen, in the fields of America, flying 

 from flower to flower, like butterflies on a summer's- 

 day. The smallest of the species is about the size of a 

 hazle-nut; the feathers on its wings and tail are black; 

 but those on the body and under the wings are of a 

 greenish brown, with a fine red cast, and a gloss 

 which no silk or velvet can imitate : on its head it has 

 a small crest, green at the bottom, and as it were gilded 

 at the top, which sparkles in the sun like a brilliant 

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

 the length of the smallest-sized pin. The larger hum- 

 ming-bird is not quite 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 feather* 

 are more beautiful than can be conceived ; and they 

 vary their tints according to the light: the heads of 

 these birds are peculiarly small, with circular eyes that 

 are black as jet. 



As soon as the sun has risen, these beautiful little 

 flutterers begin to embellish the scene, and fly with ra- 

 pidity from flower to flower, whilst a kind of humming 

 sound issues from their wings, occasioned by the pe- 

 culiar swift motion of their flight. The humming-bird 



