THE HUMMING-BIRD. 245 



is furnished with a forky tongue, calculated for ex- 

 tracting the honey from each flower, as that is the only 

 diet on which it feeds. 



The nests of these birds are not less curious than 

 themselves, and. are suspended in the air at the very 

 point of a twig ; they are composed of the fine fibres 

 of vegetables, carefully combined with cotton and 

 moss, and in shape and size resemble half the. egg of 

 an hen. The eggs are not larger than a small pea, of 

 a clear white, with a few yellow specks. During the 

 time of sitting, the female never quits her nest, except 

 when the dew lies upon tbe flowers, and, during that 

 period, the male takes her station, but quits it again 

 upon her return ; in twelve days the young ones make 

 their appearance, and in size they resemble a blue- 

 bottle fly : at first they are entirely without any cover- 

 ing ; but, in a little time, we can perceive a down, 

 which is soon converted into that beautiful apparel, 

 which renders the humming-bird so generally admired. 



The Indians formerly estimated the humming-bird 

 for the ornamental part which it made in their dress ; 

 but it is now chiefly caught for the purpose of selling 

 it to Europeans, which is done by placing bird-lime in 

 the fields upon rings. 



CHAP. VIII. 



BIRDS OF THE CRANE KIND IN GENERAL. 



THIS class of birds are to be distinguished from 

 others, rather by their appetites than their conforma- 

 tion ; yet, even in this respect, they seem to be suffi- 

 ciently discriminated by Nature, for, as they are to 

 live amongst waters, yet are incapable of swimming, 

 rS 



